Memphis, TN-MS-AR · SOC 47-2031
Carpenters in Memphis
Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Median Salary
$50,620
per year in Memphis
16% below
National Median
$60,580
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$24.34/hr
median hourly
Employment
1,240
jobs in Memphis
BLS metro-level wage data places Carpenters pay in Memphis, TN-MS-AR at a median of $50,620 per year ($24.34/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $60,580, Memphis pays 16% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 1,240 carpenterss are employed across the Memphis MSA in SOC 47-2031.
The Memphis pay distribution spans from $40,250 at the 10th percentile to $64,780 at the 90th — a 1.6× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $46,960 and the 75th at $58,790, so half of Memphis-based carpenterss earn within that middle band.
Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Memphis, TN-MS-AR covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide TN data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.
Salary Range in Memphis
Annual Salary Distribution
10th Percentile
$40,250
25th Percentile
$46,960
Median
$50,620
75th Percentile
$58,790
90th Percentile
$64,780
Top Paying Jobs in Memphis
Similar Occupations in Memphis
Other roles inside the Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA from the same SOC major group.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.