Carpenter Salary in Houston, TX
Carpenters in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $49,670 a year — 18% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $42,090 take-home, or $3,507 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median carpenter salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,780
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,080
- Medicare (1.45%)$720
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$42,090
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Carpenter pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,470 | $18.98 | $33,894 | $2,825 |
| 25th percentile | $46,600 | $22.40 | $39,623 | $3,302 |
| Median (50th) | $49,670 | $23.88 | $42,090 | $3,507 |
| 75th percentile | $60,190 | $28.94 | $50,543 | $4,212 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $68,500 | $32.93 | $57,020 | $4,752 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $49,670 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median carpenter's $42,090 take-home pay has the buying power of $42,675 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Carpenter jobs are less concentrated in Houston, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.68), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for carpenters, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #45 of 54 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $94,310 | $69,540 | $62,670 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $80,440 | $61,583 | $59,445 |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO | $70,990 | $56,372 | $59,284 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $89,200 | $66,357 | $57,395 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $66,480 | $54,551 | $57,140 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $76,410 | $62,584 | $56,315 |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $80,190 | $60,973 | $55,218 |
| 8 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,070 | $52,574 | $54,938 |
| 45 | Houston, TX | $49,670 | $42,090 | $42,675 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 54 metros →
About the job: carpenters
Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood and comparable materials, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; and wood stairways, window and door frames, and hardwood floors. May also install cabinets, siding, drywall, and batt or roll insulation.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.9% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Carpenter salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Austin, TX — $50,260
- Dallas, TX — $48,740
Frequently asked questions
How much does a carpenter make in Houston, TX?
The median carpenter salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $49,670 a year, or about $23.88 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,600 and $60,190.
What is a carpenter’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $49,670 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $42,090 a year ($3,507 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a carpenter?
Pay here is 18% below the national median of $60,580. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $42,675 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #45 of 54 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a carpenter afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median carpenter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $76,020
- Construction and Building Inspector — $66,780
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $61,300
- Electrician — $59,180
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $58,030
- Sheet Metal Worker — $51,870
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $51,040
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas — $49,940
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall — $48,140
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas — $47,260
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $46,600
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $46,140