Pennsylvania · Carpenters

Best colleges for Carpenters in Pennsylvania

Ranked by graduate earnings

Philadelphia Technician Training, Orleans Technical College and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology award the most Carpenters degrees and certificates in Pennsylvania: 84, 31 and 24 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 Pennsylvania colleges offer Carpenters and award 326 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Carpenters program focuses on the skilled trade of carpentry, which involves the cutting, shaping, and installation of building materials in various construction projects. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing…

Institutions
8
offering CIP 46.02
States offered
40
with a program page
Degrees / yr
326
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$21,916
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$20,807
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
58%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Carpenters
$63,220
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
Lancaster Public · Associate degree
$37,6112471%—$7,266
2Orleans Technical College
Philadelphia Private not-for-profit · Certificate
$21,9163190%$19,184$7,521

Colleges awarding the most Carpenters degrees in Pennsylvania

Top 6 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Philadelphia Technician Training
Philadelphia Private not-for-profit
84Not reported
2Orleans Technical College
Philadelphia Private not-for-profit
31$21,916
3Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
Lancaster Public
24$37,611
4Williamson College of the Trades
Media Private not-for-profit
14Not reported
5Johnson College
Scranton Private not-for-profit
12Not reported
6Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center
Altoona Public
1Not reported
Show the other 2 Pennsylvania colleges offering Carpenters
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Community College of Allegheny CountyPittsburghPublic138
Delaware County Community CollegeMediaPublic22

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Carpenters (SOC 47-2031).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.5%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~74,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$59,310
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringReading ComprehensionSpeakingMathematics

What Carpenters earn in Pennsylvania

Jobs in Pennsylvania
30,630
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$63,220
median $59,370
Best-paying metro
$67,470
York-Hanover, PA

Related careers

Carpenters
$63,220 avg · 30,630 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
$89,590 avg · 26,860 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Carpenters programs in Pennsylvania.

Which Pennsylvania colleges award the most Carpenters degrees?+

Philadelphia Technician Training (84 graduates a year), Orleans Technical College (31 graduates a year) and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology (24 graduates a year) award the most Carpenters degrees and certificates in Pennsylvania, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 Pennsylvania colleges offer Carpenters.

Which Carpenters program in Pennsylvania has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology tops the list at $37,611. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Carpenters earn in Pennsylvania?+

The average annual wage for Carpenters in Pennsylvania is $63,220 (median $59,370), across about 30,630 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Carpenters program?+

The Carpenters program focuses on the skilled trade of carpentry, which involves the cutting, shaping, and installation of building materials in various construction projects. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Carpenters?+

The national job outlook is about +4.5% growth with around 74,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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