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Carpenter Prevailing Wage Rates in Massachusetts (2026)

Carpenters on prevailing wage projects in Massachusetts are paid $39.57 to $82.00 per hour, with a median total of $71.15 across the 19 determination records listed below. That total is base rate plus fringe benefits; the median base rate is $44.11, and among the 19 records listing a fringe separately the median fringe is $27.82. Rates differ by county, construction type and funding source, so use the row that matches your project.

Lowest listed$39.57per hour, total
Median listed$71.15 median base $44.11 · median fringe $27.82
Highest listed$82.00per hour, total
Records shown19 across 13 counties

Figures above are computed over the 19 hourly records in the table below. They are not a statewide average of all carpenters in Massachusetts. Most recent determination in this set: May 18, 2026.

How much do carpenters earn on prevailing wage jobs in Massachusetts?

Every row below is one wage determination line: a carpenter classification, in one county, for one construction type, under one funding source. The rate that applies to your project is the row whose county, construction type and funding source all match it — a Highway rate does not apply to a Building project in the same county, and a state determination does not substitute for a federal one.

ClassificationCountyConstruction typeFundingBaseFringeTotal
Carpenter (Includes Form Work)WorcesterHighway#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
Carpenter, Includes Form WorkSuffolkHighway#federal$66.59$15.41 $82.00
Carpenter (Includes Form Work)PlymouthHighway#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
Carpenter, Includes Form WorkNorfolkHighway#federal$43.64$22.09 $65.73
Carpenter, Includes Form WorkMiddlesexHighway#federal$47.93$19.46 $67.39
Carpenter, Includes Form WorkHampshireHighway#federal$40.64$20.80 $61.44
Carpenter, Includes Form WorkHampdenHighway#federal$33.03$20.02 $53.05
Carpenter (Includes Form Work)EssexHighway#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
CarpenterBerkshireHighway#federal$44.11$21.41 $65.52
Carpenter, Includes Form WorkBarnstableHighway#federal$43.64$22.09 $65.73
CarpenterDukesHighway#federal$43.33$27.82 $71.15
CarpenterNantucketHighway#federal$43.33$27.82 $71.15
Carpenter (Includes Acoustical Ceiling Installation, Batt Insulation, Drywall Hanging, Form Work, Metal Building-metal Siding/Wall Panels, Metal Stud Installation, Scaffold Building, Fireproofer, Window and Curtain Wall Installation)WorcesterBuilding#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
Carpenter (Includes Acoustical Ceiling Installation, Drywall Hanging, Form Work, and Metal Stud Installation)PlymouthBuilding#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
Carpenter, New Wood Frame Construction Not Exceeding 4 Stories Including Basement (All Other Carpentry Work on Wood Frame Projects)FranklinResidential#federal$26.55$13.02 $39.57
Carpenter, New Wood Frame Construction Not Exceeding 4 Stories Including Basement (Wood Framing, Siding and Exterior Trim Work)FranklinResidential#federal$26.55$13.02 $39.57
Carpenters: (All Other Work)DukesResidential#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
Carpenters: (All Other Work)NantucketResidential#federal$50.10$31.45 $81.55
CarpenterFranklinHighway#federal$43.33$27.82 $71.15

What does the carpenter classification cover?

Carpenters frame, form and finish. On heavy and highway determinations the carpenter classification is very often subdivided — form work, scaffold, drywall hanging and piledriving can each carry their own rate — so the plain "Carpenter" rate may not be the one that applies to the specific task.

Work typically covered

  • Rough framing
  • Concrete formwork
  • Scaffolding
  • Doors, frames and hardware
  • Finish carpentry and millwork

Also listed as

  • Carpenter (Form Work Only)
  • Carpenter/Drywall Hanger
  • Rough Carpenter

In this Massachusetts result set the work appears under 8 distinct classification names.

Carpenter rates by county in Massachusetts

Prevailing wage is set county by county. These are the Massachusetts counties with carpenter records in the set above — open one to see every classification on that county's determination, not just this trade.

See all Massachusetts counties →

Other trades in Massachusetts

Carpenter prevailing wage questions

What is the prevailing wage for a carpenter in Massachusetts?

Across the 19 federal-funded determination records WageFinder lists for carpenters in Massachusetts, total prevailing wage runs from $39.57 to $82.00 per hour, median $71.15. There is no single statewide figure: each county's determination sets its own rate, and the same county can carry different rates for Building, Highway, Heavy and Residential work.

Does the carpenter rate include benefits?

The total prevailing wage shown is the base hourly rate plus the fringe benefit rate. Of the 19 Massachusetts records on this page, 19 list a fringe amount separately, with a median of $27.82 per hour — roughly 39% of the median total. The rest list no separate fringe, meaning the base rate is the whole obligation. Fringe can be paid as bona fide benefit plan contributions, as cash added to the paycheck, or as a mix of both.

Which Massachusetts counties have carpenter rates?

This page lists carpenter records for 13 counties in Massachusetts: Barnstable, Berkshire, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and others. Determinations that apply statewide appear under a statewide entry rather than a named county.

How current are these Massachusetts carpenter rates?

The most recent determination in this set is dated May 18, 2026. WageFinder re-reads the official sources weekly, but the date that matters for compliance is the determination date on the document itself, which is shown on every wage detail page and links back to the government source.

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