Carpenters pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $66,000 or more. The middle half of carpenters in Chattanooga earn between $46,590 and $60,720.
- $37K10th
- $47K25th
- $51KMedian
- $61K75th
- $66K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $53,340 | $4,445 | $25.64 |
| Median | $50,760 | $4,230 | $24.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,590 | $3,882 | $22.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,720 | $5,060 | $29.19 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Carpenters pay in Chattanooga vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Carpenters in Chattanooga earn about the same as the Tennessee average ($53,990) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($65,630). At the median the gap is -16% against the U.S. median of $60,580.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $53,340 | $50,760 | $37,310 | $66,000 | 620 |
| Tennessee | $53,990 | $50,830 | $37,460 | $66,450 | 8,200 |
| United States | $65,630 | $60,580 | $40,410 | $99,910 | 670,090 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Carpenters salary after taxes in Chattanooga
On the average salary of $53,340, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $45,039 a year, or $3,753 a month and $1,732 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $45,039 | $3,753 |
| Working in GA | $43,126 | $3,594 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for carpenters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $53,340 buys what about $58,318 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Carpenters salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 5th of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($56,730).
- Nashville$56,730
- Knoxville$53,520
- Cleveland$53,490
- Memphis$53,370
- Chattanooga$53,340
- Morristown$52,710
- Clarksville$52,690
- Johnson City$51,320
- Jackson$51,100
- Kingsport$50,040
Highest-paying cities for carpenters
Fairbanks, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($90,730).
- Fairbanks, AK$90,730
- San Francisco, CA$89,630
- Honolulu, HI$89,400
- Decatur, IL$88,510
- San Jose, CA$87,930
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Carpenters salary in Chattanooga: questions
How much do carpenters make an hour in Chattanooga?
$25.64 an hour on average, and $24.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level carpenters salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,590, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the carpenters take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $45,039 a year ($3,753 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,340. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do carpenters earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less than the U.S. average for this job ($65,630).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2031; area Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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