Carpenter Prevailing Wage Rates in North Carolina (2026)
Carpenters on prevailing wage projects in North Carolina are paid $15.28 to $24.69 per hour, with a median total of $17.70 across the 50 determination records listed below. That total is base rate plus fringe benefits; the median base rate is $17.13, and among the 26 records listing a fringe separately the median fringe is $3.15. Rates differ by county, construction type and funding source, so use the row that matches your project.
Figures above are computed over the 50 hourly records in the table below, which is the first page of a larger set. They are not a statewide average of all carpenters in North Carolina. Most recent determination in this set: May 18, 2026.
How much do carpenters earn on prevailing wage jobs in North Carolina?
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.
| Classification | County | Construction type | Funding | Base | Fringe | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter, Excludes Drywall Hanging | Randolph | Building | #federal | $19.72 | $4.73 | $24.45 |
| Carpenter, Excludes Drywall Hanging | Rockingham | Building | #federal | $19.72 | $4.73 | $24.45 |
| Carpenter | Franklin | Building | #federal | $20.54 | $3.21 | $23.75 |
| Carpenter | Johnston | Building | #federal | $20.54 | $3.21 | $23.75 |
| Carpenter | Edgecombe | Building | #federal | $19.68 | $3.15 | $22.83 |
| Carpenter | Nash | Building | #federal | $19.68 | $3.15 | $22.83 |
| Carpenter | Pitt | Building | #federal | $19.68 | $3.15 | $22.83 |
| Carpenter, Excludes Drywall Hanging | Davidson | Building | #federal | $17.10 | $3.66 | $20.76 |
| Carpenter, Excludes Drywall Hanging | Davie | Building | #federal | $17.10 | $3.66 | $20.76 |
| Carpenter, Excludes Drywall Hanging | Stokes | Building | #federal | $17.10 | $3.66 | $20.76 |
| Carpenter, Excludes Drywall Hanging | Yadkin | Building | #federal | $17.10 | $3.66 | $20.76 |
| Carpenter | Currituck | Building | #federal | $19.80 | $4.89 | $24.69 |
| Carpenter | Gates | Building | #federal | $19.80 | $4.89 | $24.69 |
| Carpenter | Cumberland | Building | #federal | $19.80 | $4.89 | $24.69 |
| Carpenter | Hoke | Building | #federal | $19.80 | $4.89 | $24.69 |
| Carpenter | Guilford | Residential | #federal | $15.90 | — | $15.90 |
| Carpenter | Randolph | Residential | #federal | $15.90 | — | $15.90 |
| Carpenter | Rockingham | Residential | #federal | $15.90 | — | $15.90 |
| Carpenter | Franklin | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Johnston | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Wake | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Edgecombe | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Nash | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Pitt | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Davie | Residential | #federal | $15.84 | — | $15.84 |
| Carpenter | Stokes | Residential | #federal | $15.84 | — | $15.84 |
| Carpenter | Yadkin | Residential | #federal | $15.84 | — | $15.84 |
| Carpenter | Currituck | Residential | #federal | $16.20 | — | $16.20 |
| Carpenter | Gates | Residential | #federal | $16.20 | — | $16.20 |
| Carpenter | Craven | Residential | #federal | $16.20 | — | $16.20 |
| Carpenter | Jones | Residential | #federal | $16.20 | — | $16.20 |
| Carpenter | Pamlico | Residential | #federal | $16.20 | — | $16.20 |
| Carpenter | Person | Residential | #federal | $17.33 | — | $17.33 |
| Carpenter | Cabarrus | Residential | #federal | $17.51 | $0.47 | $17.98 |
| Carpenter | Gaston | Residential | #federal | $17.51 | $0.47 | $17.98 |
| Carpenter | Buncombe | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Haywood | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Henderson | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Madison | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Brunswick | Residential | #federal | $15.28 | — | $15.28 |
| Carpenter | Onslow | Residential | #federal | $15.28 | — | $15.28 |
| Carpenter | Pender | Residential | #federal | $15.28 | — | $15.28 |
| Carpenter | Alexander | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Burke | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Caldwell | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Catawba | Residential | #federal | $17.13 | $0.57 | $17.70 |
| Carpenter | Wayne | Residential | #federal | $17.50 | — | $17.50 |
| Carpenter | Union | Residential | #federal | $17.51 | $0.47 | $17.98 |
| Carpenter | Rowan | Residential | #federal | $15.76 | — | $15.76 |
| Carpenter | Orange | Residential | #federal | $17.37 | — | $17.37 |
WageFinder holds more carpenter records for North Carolina than fit on this page. Open a county below, or search all North Carolina carpenters.
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 North Carolina result set the work appears under 2 distinct classification names.
Carpenter rates by county in North Carolina
Prevailing wage is set county by county. These are the North Carolina 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 North Carolina counties →
Other trades in North Carolina
Carpenter prevailing wage questions
What is the prevailing wage for a carpenter in North Carolina?
Across the 50 federal-funded determination records WageFinder lists for carpenters in North Carolina, total prevailing wage runs from $15.28 to $24.69 per hour, median $17.70. 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 50 North Carolina records on this page, 26 list a fringe amount separately, with a median of $3.15 per hour — roughly 18% 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 North Carolina counties have carpenter rates?
This page lists carpenter records for 38 counties in North Carolina: Alexander, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Davidson, Davie, and others. Determinations that apply statewide appear under a statewide entry rather than a named county.
How current are these North Carolina 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.
Running certified payroll against these rates?
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