Carpenter Career Assessment
Building homes, businesses, and more
Welcome
Carpenters build and repair the frames, walls, floors, roofs, stairs, and trim of homes and other buildings.
Carpentry is one of the largest trades in North Dakota. You will explore whether it fits you.
This takes about 15 minutes.
What is a Carpenter?
A carpenter measures, cuts, and joins wood and other materials to build things. They frame houses, build concrete forms, hang doors and windows, and install cabinets and trim. Some work on new homes. Others work on big commercial jobs like schools and hospitals.
The Reality: Carpentry is hard on your body. You will lift heavy boards, climb ladders, and work on roofs. Much of the work is outside in cold, wind, and heat. In North Dakota, work can slow down in the coldest months.
Your Responsibilities:
- Read blueprints and plans
- Measure, mark, and cut wood and other materials
- Build wall, floor, and roof frames
- Build forms for concrete
- Install doors, windows, and stairs
- Install cabinets, trim, and molding
- Use hand and power tools safely
- Check that work is level, square, and plumb
You build the places where people live, work, and learn.
A Day in the Life
7:00 AM — Arrive at a new house site. The crew lead goes over the plan for the day.
7:30 AM — Measure and cut studs. Nail together wall frames on the floor deck.
9:30 AM — Stand the walls up with the crew and brace them. The wind is strong, so you work carefully.
12:00 PM — Lunch in the truck to warm up.
12:30 PM — Set roof trusses with help from a crane.
2:30 PM — Put on roof sheathing. Wear your fall protection harness.
4:00 PM — Pick up scraps and cover lumber from the weather.
5:00 PM — Head home. Log your apprentice hours.
Active, outdoor work where you can see what you built at the end of the day.
Training in North Dakota
No state license to work as a carpenter, but training matters. Many carpenters learn on the job or in a registered apprenticeship, earning pay while they learn. A college program can give you a head start.
Training Pathways:
- Union apprenticeship (about 4 years): Paid work with a contractor plus classes. Carpenters JATCs serve the Bismarck-Mandan and Fargo-Moorhead areas.
- College first (9 months to 2 years): A certificate or associate degree in carpentry or building construction.
- On-the-job training: Start as a helper or laborer with a builder and learn as you go.
Where to Train in North Dakota:
- Bismarck State College (Bismarck) — Carpentry (Residential), certificate or AAS; students build a full house in Bismarck (bismarckstate.edu)
- ND State College of Science (Wahpeton) — Carpentry Certificate (17 credits) or Building Construction Technology, AAS (73 credits) (ndscs.edu)
- Bismarck-Mandan Area Carpenters JATC and Fargo-Moorhead Area Carpenters JATC — registered union apprenticeships, trained through the Carpenters Training Institute (carpenterstraininginstitute.org)
- Local home builders and construction companies — helper jobs and on-the-job training
Before You Start: High school diploma or GED is best. Basic math, especially fractions and measuring. A valid driver's license and your own ride to job sites.
Tip: Start with financial aid, scholarships, and any help an employer offers — that is where the money starts. After that, ask a career counselor or Job Service North Dakota whether WIOA or other programs can help with what is left over, like training, tools, work boots, or exam fees. What can be paid for depends on the program and on your own situation, so ask before you sign up rather than after. Registered apprenticeships let you earn a paycheck while you learn — see jobsnd.com/job-seeker/apprenticeships for ND programs.
Certification & Licensing
No carpenter license is required in North Dakota. You do not need a state license to work as a carpenter. You do need a contractor license to run your own business on bigger jobs. Safety cards help you get hired.
Helpful Credentials:
- OSHA 10-Hour Construction — basic job site safety; many employers want it
- OSHA 30-Hour Construction — for crew leads and supervisors
- Journeyman card — earned when you finish a registered apprenticeship
- ND contractor license — needed from the ND Secretary of State to run your own business on any job over $4,000
The Exams: No state exam for carpenters. Apprentices take tests in their classes. OSHA cards come from a short class.
Cost: OSHA 10 classes are often low cost or paid by the employer. A Class D contractor license (jobs up to $100,000) costs $100 to start.
Keeping It Current: Contractor licenses renew every year by March 1. OSHA cards do not expire, but many employers want a refresher.
Salary & Job Outlook
North Dakota Carpenter Pay (May 2025):
- Starting out (bottom 10–25%): $21.09–$23.47/hour ($43,860–$48,820/year)
- Middle (median — half earn more, half earn less): $27.83/hour ($57,890/year)
- Experienced (top 25–10%): $30.55–$36.90/hour ($63,550–$76,760/year)
What that means: ND carpenters start a bit higher than the national low end. Apprentices earn a share of full pay that rises as they progress. Some winter slow-downs can cut hours.
Jobs in North Dakota: About 3,150 people do this work in ND today. By 2034, that should be about 3,370 (about 7% growth). Expect about 250 job openings every year in ND from growth and people retiring or changing jobs. Across the U.S., the change is about 5% growth — faster than average.
Outlook: Very good. About 250 openings a year in North Dakota, one of the biggest numbers in the building trades.
Who Hires in ND: Home builders, commercial construction companies, remodeling companies, concrete contractors, and schools, hospitals, and cities with maintenance crews.
Work Setting: Outdoor job sites and unfinished buildings. Cold, windy winters and hot summers. Some travel to job sites around the state.
Physical Demands: High. Lifting heavy materials, standing all day, kneeling, climbing ladders, and working on roofs and scaffolds.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, North Dakota, May 2025 (SOC 47-2031); North Dakota and U.S. long-term employment projections 2024–2034, via O*NET OnLine. Numbers are rounded.
Where This Leads
Path 1: Journeyman Carpenter — Work on your own with full pay.
Path 2: Crew Lead or Foreman — Run a crew on the job site.
Path 3: Finish Carpenter or Cabinet Maker — Do detailed trim and cabinet work.
Path 4: Construction Superintendent — Manage whole building projects.
Path 5: Estimator — Figure out costs and bid on jobs.
Path 6: Contractor — Run your own building business.
The Real Talk
What's Great:
- Earn while you learn
- Lots of jobs statewide
- See what you built every day
- Can run your own business
- Skills you can use at home
- Many ways to move up
What's Hard:
- Hard on your body
- Cold and windy job sites
- Work can slow down in winter
- Falls and tool injuries are a risk
- Early mornings
- You may buy your own hand tools
Be Honest: Can you handle hard physical work outside in all weather? Are you OK with heights? Can you measure carefully and follow plans?