Carpenter.
Boise.
$56,000
median salary, 5% below the national average
$46,000 to $72,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Carpenter salary in Boise is $56,000, 5% below the national average. Entry level starts near $46,000. Experienced professionals push past $72,000. Boise has emerged as one of the fastest growing tech cities in the Mountain West, driven by Micron Technology, HP, and a wave of startup relocations. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Carpenter in Boise, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $50,850 for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) in the Boise City, ID metropolitan area, based on 4,080 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$36,490
25th percentile
$44,990
Median
$50,850
75th percentile
$63,020
90th percentile
$76,550
Workers surveyed
4,080
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) rather than Carpenter specifically. The Boiserange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 47-2031Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $51,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$36,000
to $45,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$48,000
to $59,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$62,000
to $73,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$70,000
to $87,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $16,000 to the total package.
Base
$56,000
Equity
$9,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $72,000
How Boise compares.
Boise, ID
$56,000
Cost of living: 5% below average
National Average
$59,000
Boise is $3,000 below
Carpenter salary by city.
Salary by role in Boise.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Carpenter offer in Boise, understand the terrain. Boise has emerged as one of the fastest growing tech cities in the Mountain West, driven by Micron Technology, HP, and a wave of startup relocations. The city's quality of life and affordability have attracted significant in-migration from California and Washington. Tech salaries are rising fast as demand outpaces local talent supply. Finish carpenters specializing in custom cabinetry, trim, and millwork earn 15 to 25% more than rough framing carpenters. Union membership in metropolitan areas provides the strongest hourly rate floors. Carpenters with concrete formwork expertise for commercial high-rise projects command premium rates due to the physical demands and precision required.
Carpenter apprentices start at $30,000 to $36,000 during their three to four year training period. Journeyman carpenters earn $42,000 to $58,000, while foremen and lead carpenters reach $60,000 to $78,000. General contractors with carpentry backgrounds often earn $85,000 to $130,000 running their own operations. In Boise, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Union carpenters receive benefits packages worth $12,000 to $20,000 annually including health insurance, pension, and training funds. Overtime on commercial projects adds $5,000 to $12,000 per year, with prevailing wage jobs offering the best hourly rates. And on the tax side: idaho has a flat 5.8% state income tax. Boise has no city income tax. While higher than neighboring states, the rate is offset by affordable housing and low overall cost of living. When someone quotes you $56,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Bay Area and Seattle talent competition. Boise employers increasingly match 80 to 90% of coastal salaries for in demand tech roles. The range for Carpenters in Boise runs from $46,000 to $72,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
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