The Reality.
Easy to enter. The work is hard on the body — hangers carry 80lb sheets all day, tapers stand on stilts with their arms above their heads. Pay is often piece-rate, which rewards speed and punishes new workers. Often grouped under IUPAT apprenticeship.
The Money.
| Stage | Hourly | Approx. annual (40 hr × 50 wk) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $16–$22/hr | $32,000 – $44,000 |
| Journeyman (top of scale) | $25–$42/hr | $50,000 – $84,000 |
| BLS national median (all stages) | — | $49,260 |
| BLS top 10% (90th percentile) | — | $79,180 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024 release). Apprentice/journeyman hourly ranges synthesized from union scale data and reported non-union rates. Major-metro union scale runs higher; smaller markets run lower.
The Path.
- · OSHA 10
- · Scaffold/Stilt
What the recruiter won't tell you.
- 01Piece-rate pay punishes new workers — expect low effective hourly rate the first 1–2 years.
- 02Silica dust from drywall is a real lung-health risk. Mask up.
- 03Shoulder and back injuries are career-shortening. Lift right.
The Tool Bill.
What you'll spend on tools in your first year. Don't let anyone tell you it's less.
More in construction trades.
All trades →Erects the skeleton of buildings, bridges, stadiums. Walks the iron. Highest-paid construction trade in many metros.
Builds the frame, hangs the doors, runs the trim, sets the cabinets. The broadest trade — five carpenters can do five different jobs.
Runs the big iron — cranes, excavators, bulldozers, graders. Solid pay, strong union, less brutal on the body than other construction trades.