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. Includes brattice builders who build doors or brattices (ventilation walls or partitions) in underground passageways.
Most important skills
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Mathematics
Key knowledge
- Building and Construction
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Education and Training
What the work involves
- Follow established safety rules and regulations and maintain a safe and clean environment.
- Study specifications in blueprints, sketches, or building plans to prepare project layout and determine dimensions and materials required.
- Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using a ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge.
- Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.
- Install structures or fixtures, such as windows, frames, floorings, trim, or hardware, using carpenters' hand or power tools.
- Verify trueness of structure, using plumb bob and level.
- Select and order lumber or other required materials.
- Arrange for subcontractors to deal with special areas, such as heating or electrical wiring work.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Artistic.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (52.4% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (26.9%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 4 years, up to and including 10 years (33%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Carpenters is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very high | Higher on contact with others than 80% of occupations compared | 84% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 67% of occupations compared | 33% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Teamwork | High | Higher on teamwork than 69% of occupations compared | 68% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 84% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very high | Higher on time pressure than 88% of occupations compared | 55% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | High | Higher on conflict situations than 79% of occupations compared | 27% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | High | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 65% of occupations compared | 48% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 83% of occupations compared | 50% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very high
- Conflict situations: high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: high
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 4.22%
- Contact with others about half the time: 1.86%
- Contact with others most of the time: 9.55%
- Constant contact with others: 84.37%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 23.3%
- Fairly important: 11.38%
- Important: 32.5%
- Very important: 10.62%
- Extremely important: 22.2%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 1.78%
- Fairly important: 2.25%
- Important: 10.24%
- Very important: 17.46%
- Extremely important: 68.27%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 12.95%
- Very little freedom: 4.47%
- Limited freedom: 16.61%
- Some freedom: 38.53%
- A lot of freedom: 27.44%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Time pressure
- Never: 0.53%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0.68%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 8.94%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 35%
- Every day: 54.86%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Conflict situations
- Never: 10.02%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 24.16%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 13.98%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 27.32%
- Every day: 24.53%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 10.28%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 12.72%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 47.98%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 21.22%
- Every day: 7.8%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 7.51%
- Fairly serious: 19.48%
- Serious: 8.29%
- Very serious: 14.48%
- Extremely serious: 50.23%
n = 42, Incumbent 08/2022
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O*NET-SOC 47-2031.00 · SOC 47-2031 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8