They risk injury from slips or falls off ladders, cuts from tools and equipment, and scrapes from rough material. Carpenters are occasionally exposed to fumes and dust. Some carpenters belong to a union. Carpenters may change employers each time they finish a construction job. Wages vary in residential and commercial construction and with experience and location.
Union membership can also affect wage levels.
Entry level wages may be lower. Bad weather and economic downturns reduce earnings for many carpenters. Thus their actual earnings may be slightly lower than those given here. Carpenters who have skills in stonework or plastering earn more than carpenters who build homes. Many carpenters are self-employed and must provide their own health insurance and retirement plan.