15 Best Carpentry Schools

15 Best Carpentry Schools – 2025

January 30, 2025

Finding your path after high school can be a challenge. For some students, attending a four-year university may not be the right fit. In this case, students might be looking to practice and hone a specific skill set and want more hands-on experience. Therefore, they might explore their options at a trade school. A trade school typically offers more specialized courses for graduates looking to develop a vocational skill set. Usually, these courses offer more hands-on experience and may not take as long to complete as a 4-year degree. There are many fields to pursue and study at trade schools. For example, carpentry schools could be a good fit for many students. Continue for our list of the best carpentry trade schools, the average carpentry hourly wage, and the cost of carpentry school.

What is Carpentry?

Carpentry is a physically active, construction-related line of work which involves shaping, cutting, designing, and installing building structures made of wood. Carpenters can work either large-scale projects in commercial buildings or in smaller homes or individualized spaces. Additionally, carpenters can work indoors or outdoors on a wide variety of projects.

Carpenters can install items, such as cabinets or staircases, or create more free-standing projects, like decks. Carpenters might work on a building’s roof, walls, or floors to create quality wooden structures and installations. In this line of work, carpenters may interpret blueprints for their customers, provide advice for clients, work with construction companies to execute a home renovation, and more.

Best Carpentry Schools (Continued)

Additionally, carpenters must be familiar with certain tools. For example, carpenters may work with hand tools, like hammers, chisels, and mallets. Furthermore, carpenters must be familiar with power tools, such as power drills and sanders.

There are several different to pursue after a student graduates from their prospective carpentry schools. Typically, a carpenter will learn a specialized trade, like roofing or framing, and work in this specific discipline. However, a carpentry trade school can also teach students to become familiar with a variety of skill sets, if they would like to be more versatile.

What’s a Carpenter’s Average Salary?

In 2023, the median hourly wage of a carpenter in the United States was $27.09 per hour. However, this amount will vary based on a carpenter鈥檚 skillset, experience, and accreditation. What’s more, location will also factor in to how much a carpenter is paid.

For example, at just shy of $83,250, Hawaii currently has the highest average annual salary for carpenters in the United States. Perhaps unsurprisingly, New Jersey ($79,180) and Washington ($75,150) round out the top three.

Interested in a Carpentry School?

If you are interested in attending a carpentry school, then you have come to the right place. While there are many wonderful schools to choose from, below we have assembled a list of 15 great carpentry schools in the United States.

Each carpentry school promises great opportunities for prospective students. Some factors you may consider before you choose a school are location, accreditation, and offered programs. Duration of the program may also be an important consideration if you are looking to go on the job market more quickly.

1)听

Location: Appleton, Wisconsin
Cost: $8,556

At this carpentry trade school, students have the opportunity to study residential, commercial, or industrial construction. Additionally, students have the chance to take advantage of apprenticeships alongside their certificate programs for further hands-on experience.

With a 96% graduate employment rate, Fox Valley trains high-quality carpenters for any field of work. Though their main campus is in Appleton, Fox Valley has several locations in Wisconsin, including campuses in Oshkosh and Chilton.

2)

Location: Media, Pennsylvania
Cost: $31,611 per year

Throughout their time in this program, students receive a mixture of lectures, demonstrations, shop exercises, and more. At this carpentry school, the focus is primarily on residential-commercial carpentry. Additionally, students take courses in technical, business, and logistical management aspects. For students looking to eventually run their own business or manage at a higher level, this program may be a good fit. Following completion of this course, students will have earned an Associate in Specialized Technology degree.

3)听

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana (main campus)
Cost: $10,703

At this carpentry school, students enroll in the Building Construction Technology program. With an emphasis on hands-on experience, students are prepared for national certification. Interestingly, students have the opportunity to build mock-ups of houses in Ivy Tech鈥檚 construction laboratory.

There are several degree types students can pursue, including an Associate of Applied Science and several short-term certificates and workplace certifications. While Ivy Tech’s Indianapolis location is its largest, it also includes 19 other campuses and 26 satellite locations.

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4)

Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Cost: $9,000 per year

With the most up-to-date equipment and technology, students at this carpentry trade school receive the opportunity for professional experience. At the conclusion of the Carpentry Technology program, students will be able to analyze specifications, prepare plans, and demonstrate basic skills of the trade. The length of this program is two years, after which students will be prepared for residential and light commercial construction.

5)听

Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Cost: $7,892

Following completion of this program, students will be prepared for residential light and heavy commercial, highway and heavy bridgework, cabinetry, and millwork. So, for students looking to experience a wide variety of carpentry, this program may be a good fit.

This program consists of 33 credits which most students complete in a little over two years. At 15 credit hours, students will be considered a full-time student.

6)

Location: Delhi, New York
Cost: Approx. $7,000 per year

As the oldest post-secondary construction program in the country, SUNY Delhi offers two degree options — the Associate in Applied Science, which prepares you for a 4-year degree in construction science, or the Associate in Occupational Studies, which prepares you to enter the workforce immediately. Students will study construction estimating, framing, carpentry, energy efficiency, masonry, cabinetry, and roofing. Both programs can be completed in four semesters.

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7)

Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Cost: $7,488 (resident) / $7,704 (non-resident)

Students in this program will learn residential and commercial construction techniques and methods. Additionally, students can train to become either a carpenter or concrete specialist. Some examples of coursework include drywall installation, wall framing, and more. It is important to note that all students are required to have their own personal toolset for classroom projects.

8)

Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Cost: $5,549

With hands-on experience and preparation, the technical diploma program equips students with the fundamental skills to make them successful carpenters. Students learn a variety of skills in their classes. For example, students can learn planning and estimating, framing, finish carpentry, and more.

The program consists of a total of 29 credit hours divided over two, 16-week semesters. In their first semester, students take 14 credit hours. In their second semester, students take 15 credit hours, including a carpentry internship.

9)

Location: Coconut Creek & Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Cost: $3,975 (resident) / $14,055 (non-resident)

This 12-month program prepares students for the construction and manufacturing industries. In addition to learning practical skills like trim and framing, students will also learn management and finance skills. Additionally, the focus on the program is also more global, with discussions around community, labor, safety, and environmental issues. Some students may be eligible to attend an apprenticeship at a higher level after completing their certification.

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10)

Location: Hutchinson, Kansas
Cost: $4,072 per year (resident) / $4,816 per year (non-resident)

At this carpentry trade school, students will be prepared for a career in the home and building construction industries. With emphasis on hands-on learning, students will actively participate in the construction of one structure each year.

11)

Location: Topeka, Kansas
Cost: $3,950

During this program, students are equipped to practice carpentry, framing, and masonry. Additionally, students have the opportunity to complete the program in two semesters. After these two semesters, students earn a technical certificate following their 25 hours of coursework.

12)

Location: Auburn, Washington
Cost: $8,800 (resident) / $18,760 (non-resident)

With the option of day and evening classes, Green River may be a good choice of carpentry school for students looking for flexible classes. In this curriculum, students are prepared for every major area of the carpentry trade. This includes wall and roof framing, finish carpentry, and more.

For training, students build projects, like full-size mock-ups. There is the option to earn 5 different training certificates or an Applied Arts and Science Degree.

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13)

Location: St. Louis, Missouri (main campus)
Cost: $16,680 per year

At this carpentry trade school, students participate in at least 15 hours of weekly hands-on training. Between the campus鈥檚 modern shop space or a real job site, students at this institution are focused on practical knowledge. Additionally, students learn blueprint reading and estimation.

In addition to their main campus in St. Louis, RTC also has three other campuses around Missouri.

14)

Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Cost: $7,900

In the carpentry program, students are prepared for careers as carpenters in residential and commercial construction, factories, cabinet shops, and more. Students learn the foundations of building layout, foundations, rough framing, installing drywall, and more. There are three options for accreditation. Students can earn a carpentry diploma, an accessory dwelling unit certificate, or a trade readiness certificate.

15)

Location: Bismark, North Dakota
Cost: Approx. $18,987

Over the course of this two-year associate’s degree, students will learn the foundations of residential carpentry. Students will have the opportunity to help build single-family homes in Bismarck. Students will also learn a wide variety of skills, including blueprint reading, construction math, sustainable/green building, and more.

Carpentry Schools 鈥� Final Thoughts

Overall, high school students have a lot of choices regarding the type of institution they attend post-graduation. For students who know that hands-on job training, working outdoors, and experiencing a variety of projects is the right path for them, carpentry schools may be a good fit.

As some programs can take about two years to complete, students will be ready for real-world experience quickly. Plus, with a variety of locations and program offerings, there are a lot of wonderful opportunities to choose from.

For even more information on trade schools and ideas for trade-specific careers, take a look at the links below:

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Meghan Dairaghi

With a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, Meghan has served as a writing tutor at the University of Missouri St. Louis and Maryville University. Additionally, Meghan has held editorial roles at River Styx and Boulevard, and was a prose reader at Farside Review. Most recently, her work has been featured in Belle Ombre, Flypaper Lit, and Mag 20/20, among others, and she was nominated for the Mary Troy Prize in Fiction.聽