47 Series · SOC 47-2041
Carpet Installers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $50,340
- Median / year
- $82,140
- Top 10% earn
- -9.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 13,780
- US workers
Carpet Installers earn a median of $50,340 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $50,340, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,450 (10th percentile) to $82,140 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 13,780 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($115,180), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Carpet Installers earn a median of $50,340, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 34% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #41 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 9.6% by 2033.
- $50,340
- Median annual wage
- Top 66%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #41 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $115,180. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Carpet Installers (SOC 47-2041) pays a national median of $50,340 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $35,450 at the 10th percentile to $82,140 at the 90th, with a mean of $56,990 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 13,780 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 40 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -9.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $115,180, which is +129% above the national figure. The top metro is Reno, NV at $78,080 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$50,340
per year
Median Hourly
$24.20/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$56,990
average
Employment
13,780
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Carpet Installers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$50,340 Bottom 34% higher than 34% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Carpet Installers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Carpet Installers sits on the slower-growing side at -9.6% growth and $50,340 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-9.6%
Declining
Annual Openings
1,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Carpet Installers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Inspect the surface to be covered to determine its condition, and correct any imperfections that might show through carpet or cause carpet to wear unevenly.
- ▸ Roll out, measure, mark, and cut carpeting to size with a carpet knife, following floor sketches and allowing extra carpet for final fitting.
- ▸ Join edges of carpet and seam edges where necessary, by sewing or by using tape with glue and heated carpet iron.
- ▸ Cut and trim carpet to fit along wall edges, openings, and projections, finishing the edges with a wall trimmer.
- ▸ Plan the layout of the carpet, allowing for expected traffic patterns and placing seams for best appearance and longest wear.
- ▸ Stretch carpet to align with walls and ensure a smooth surface, and press carpet in place over tack strips or use staples, tape, tacks or glue to hold carpet in place.
- ▸ Take measurements and study floor sketches to calculate the area to be carpeted and the amount of material needed.
- ▸ Install carpet on some floors using adhesive, following prescribed method.
- ▸ Clean up before and after installation, including vacuuming carpet and discarding remnant pieces.
- ▸ Measure, cut and install tackless strips along the baseboard or wall.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$35,450
25th Percentile
$41,970
Median
$50,340
75th Percentile
$66,320
90th Percentile
$82,140
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $115,180 | +129% above national |
| 2 | Minnesota | $85,910 | +71% above national |
| 3 | Alaska | $76,790 | +53% above national |
| 4 | Tennessee | $74,510 | +48% above national |
| 5 | Nevada | $67,040 | +33% above national |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $65,600 | +30% above national |
| 7 | Missouri | $63,960 | +27% above national |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $60,830 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Hawaii | $58,710 | +17% above national |
| 10 | Kansas | $57,920 | +15% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $57,800 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Maryland | $57,030 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Iowa | $55,920 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Vermont | $54,830 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Washington | $54,830 | +9% above national |
| 16 | California | $54,440 | +8% above national |
| 17 | Ohio | $54,370 | +8% above national |
| 18 | New Mexico | $52,700 | +5% above national |
| 19 | New York | $52,160 | +4% above national |
| 20 | Idaho | $51,550 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Colorado | $51,280 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Nebraska | $50,600 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Delaware | $50,350 | same as national |
| 24 | Indiana | $49,640 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Illinois | $49,480 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Louisiana | $49,400 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Connecticut | $49,230 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Virginia | $48,920 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $48,790 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Florida | $48,580 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Georgia | $48,260 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $47,930 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Arizona | $47,920 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Alabama | $46,600 | 7% below national |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $46,030 | 9% below national |
| 36 | Utah | $44,480 | 12% below national |
| 37 | Montana | $43,840 | 13% below national |
| 38 | Texas | $43,610 | 13% below national |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $42,490 | 16% below national |
| 40 | South Dakota | $40,420 | 20% below national |
| 41 | Kentucky | $37,800 | 25% below national |
| 42 | Arkansas | $37,390 | 26% below national |
| 43 | Mississippi | $36,590 | 27% below national |
| 44 | West Virginia | $36,220 | 28% below national |
| 45 | South Carolina | $33,810 | 33% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 40 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reno, NV | $78,080 | +55% above national |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $76,790 | +53% above national |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $71,020 | +41% above national |
| 4 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $69,660 | +38% above national |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $64,590 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $63,500 | +26% above national |
| 7 | Rochester, NY | $61,700 | +23% above national |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $61,500 | +22% above national |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $58,500 | +16% above national |
| 10 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $57,840 | +15% above national |
| 11 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $57,540 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $57,030 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $55,850 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $54,850 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $54,080 | +7% above national |
| 16 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $53,610 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $51,360 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $51,270 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Peoria, IL | $50,410 | same as national |
| 20 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $50,340 | same as national |
| 21 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $50,340 | same as national |
| 22 | Omaha, NE-IA | $50,100 | same as national |
| 23 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $49,630 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $49,550 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $49,510 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,330 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $48,900 | 3% below national |
| 28 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $48,830 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $48,820 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Columbus, OH | $48,650 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Fresno, CA | $48,630 | 3% below national |
| 32 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $47,920 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $47,730 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Springfield, MA | $47,650 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,520 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $47,100 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $46,060 | 9% below national |
| 38 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $42,610 | 15% below national |
| 39 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $40,670 | 19% below national |
| 40 | Jackson, MS | $38,080 | 24% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Carpet Installers make? ▼
What state pays Carpet Installers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Carpet Installers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Carpet Installers? ▼
Is Carpet Installers a good career? ▼
How does Carpet Installers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Carpet Installers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Carpet Installers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $66,320/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $115,180/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.