Apprenticeships

Carpenter apprenticeship: how to become a carpenter

Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 10, 2026

What carpenters do and earn

Carpenters "construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials." The work runs from installing kitchen cabinets to building highways and bridges, indoors and out.

Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook:

• Median pay: $60,580 per year, or $29.12 per hour (May 2025).
• Jobs: 889,700 in 2025.
• Outlook: employment is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, "about as fast as the average for all occupations." That works out to about 62,800 openings a year, many of them from workers who retire or change jobs.

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How carpenter apprenticeships work

BLS lists apprenticeship as the typical on-the-job training for carpenters, and a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. "Several groups, such as unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs." For each year of a typical program, you complete a set number of hours of classroom (technical) training and paid on-the-job training. Requirements "differ based on the type of program and by region," so check the program you apply to for its length and entry rules.

Many programs are registered apprenticeships, registered with the government (ABC, for example, registers its programs with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship). Apprenticeship.gov describes them as paid work with a mentor, with "progressive wage increases, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential." In other words, your pay rises as you learn, and the certificate you earn at the end is recognized across the industry.

BLS adds that "some vocational-technical schools offer associate's degrees in carpentry," and that certain high school classes, such as math and mechanical drawing, may help. [1][2][3][4]

The union route: United Brotherhood of Carpenters

The carpenters' union across the United States and Canada is the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC). Its training is organized through local training centers and the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF). Its training goes from basic tool use and material handling up to specialty work like scaffolding, floor covering, millwright work and solar.

The UBC tells people who want to join to contact their local UBC council. To start:

• Find your nearest regional council and ask how to apply.
• Find your nearest UBC training center.

Union apprentices can use the UBC member portal to track the classes they must attend to finish the apprenticeship and to record their on-the-job training hours. To weigh the two routes, see union vs. non-union apprenticeships. For what to expect from entry tests, see apprenticeship aptitude tests. [5][6][7][8][9]

The open-shop route: ABC chapters

"Open shop" (also called "merit shop") contractors aren't union-signatory. Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) calls itself "the world leader in apprenticeship and craft training in the merit shop construction industry." ABC says it offers formal apprenticeship programs "registered with the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship," with employer-sponsored classroom instruction and on-the-job training. When you finish, "craft workers are recognized at the journey level in their trade and are awarded their apprenticeship certificate." ABC's classes use the competency-based NCCER curriculum.

ABC says its 67 chapters and their affiliates offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management programs, including over 450 government-registered apprenticeships. Use ABC's registered apprenticeship locator to find one near you, or contact the nearest chapter. [4][10]

Finding other registered programs

Outside the union and ABC routes, you can search the Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Job Finder for registered apprenticeship openings near you. If cost is a worry, see paying for trade training. [3][11]

Do carpenters need a license?

BLS's carpenter profile doesn't list a state trade license like the ones electricians and plumbers need. In its licenses section, BLS notes only that carpenters "may need a driver's license to travel to jobsites," plus optional certifications by specialty that "may allow carpenters to find additional work opportunities or lead to career advancement."

Contracting is different. Once you bid and run jobs yourself, your state's contractor licensing rules can apply, and carpentry can have its own contractor class. California, for example, has a C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor license and a C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry Contractor license. Before you bid jobs on your own, read the general contractor licensing guide and your state's page: California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan or Arizona. [2][12]

Steps to become a carpenter

• Finish high school or get a GED. BLS says that's the typical entry-level education.
• Choose a route: a union program through your UBC council, an open-shop program through an ABC chapter, or another registered program listed on Apprenticeship.gov.
• Apply and meet the program's entry requirements. These vary by program and region.
• Work and learn: put in the yearly classroom hours and paid on-the-job training until you finish at the journey level.
• If you later want to run your own jobs, check your state's contractor license rules.

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