Prevailing Wage for Carpenters
Prevailing wage for Carpenters, the DOL's official title under SOC 47-2031, applies to H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorships across the country. Whether the role is titled Construction Carpenter, Form Carpenter, or Framer, DOL sets four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city.
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Entry-level carpenters with limited experience performing routine tasks under close supervision. Typically workers new to U.S. construction crews or transitioning from apprenticeship programs. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and a narrow scope of assigned work.
Qualified carpenters with practical experience handling standard framing, formwork, or finish tasks with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Carpenters, reflecting the broad pool of journeyperson-level workers employers typically sponsor.
Experienced carpenters who handle complex or non-routine assignments with limited oversight. Workers at this level often coordinate with other trades, read detailed blueprints independently, and troubleshoot structural or installation problems on commercial or industrial job sites.
Fully competent senior or lead carpenters with broad expertise across specialties such as concrete forming, heavy timber framing, or finish carpentry. May direct other workers, manage scopes on large projects, and require no supervisory oversight for technical decisions.
Prevailing Wage for Carpenters by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Carpenters and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm the worksite city on the LCA
Carpenters almost always work at a physical job site, not a corporate headquarters. The prevailing wage on the Labor Condition Application must match the county where the tools hit the wood, not where payroll is processed. Multi-site projects may require separate LCA filings per location.
Watch how union scale interacts with prevailing wage
In high-density construction markets like Honolulu and San Jose, union collective bargaining agreements often set rates above the DOL floor. An offer benchmarked only to the DOL level without accounting for local union scale can still leave money on the table during offer negotiation.
Flag offers that include tool allowances as compensation
Some construction employers fold tool stipends or per-diem payments into the headline pay figure. DOL counts only bona fide wages toward prevailing wage compliance; reimbursements and non-cash allowances do not satisfy the floor. Verify that the base hourly rate alone clears the applicable level.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring Carpenters
Residential and commercial contractors rarely advertise visa sponsorship openly. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Carpenters specifically in the past, so you can focus applications on firms with a documented track record rather than guessing from job board listings.
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Find Jobs for CarpentersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-2031.00 alongside Carpenters, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Bridge Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Bridge Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Bridge Carpenter positions fall under SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Cabinet Maker Prevailing Wage
Cabinet Maker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Cabinet Maker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Concrete Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Concrete Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Concrete Carpenter is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Construction Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Construction Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Construction Carpenter positions fall under SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Form Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Form Carpenter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Form Carpenter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Framer Prevailing Wage
Framer Prevailing Wage
Framer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Maintenance Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Carpenter positions fall under SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Rough Carpenter Prevailing Wage
Rough Carpenter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Rough Carpenter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Scaffold Builder Prevailing Wage
Scaffold Builder Prevailing Wage
Scaffold Builder is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2031.00 (Carpenters). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Carpenters?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to establish four wage levels for each occupation in each metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area. For Carpenters, the agency applies those regional figures to any Labor Condition Application or PERM application, ensuring sponsored workers are paid at least what comparable local workers earn at the same experience level.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 reflects journeyperson-level work with moderate oversight and is the most commonly filed level for Carpenters; Level 3 covers experienced workers handling complex assignments independently; Level 4 applies to lead or senior carpenters directing others with full autonomy. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision structure in the job description, not just your years of experience. OFLC and USCIS both scrutinize mismatches between the stated level and the offered duties.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Carpenters role differ so much from city to city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions. Dense construction markets with high union penetration, such as Honolulu or the San Francisco Bay Area, produce far higher floors than lower-cost regions. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so the wage obligation is determined by where the carpenter physically works, not where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if a sponsored offer falls below the prevailing wage floor?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage, which means the LCA will not be approved and the H-1B or other sponsored petition cannot proceed. If a discrepancy is discovered after filing, OFLC can assess back wages, fines, and debarment from future sponsorships. For PERM-based green card cases, a wage below the floor at the time of filing can invalidate the application.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Carpenters position in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website, which lets you look up the four-level wage table for Carpenters by state, metropolitan area, or county. Enter SOC code 47-2031 and the worksite metro area to retrieve the current figures. You can also review O*NET for occupation context. Migrate Mate lists employers with a documented history of sponsoring Carpenters, so you can cross-reference active postings with the wages your target market requires.
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