Carpenters vs Drywall Installers
Median pay is about $2k higher for Carpenters. The usual entry education is apprenticeship for Carpenters and no formal credential for Drywall Installers.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Carpenters | Drywall Installers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $60,580, higher | $58,930 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $48,510, higher | $47,440 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $76,830, higher | $74,230 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +3.9% Growing, higher | +2.5% Growing |
| Openings a year | 62,800 | 6,600 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Apprenticeship | No formal credential |
| Difficulty modeled | 2 / 5 | 1.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 5th pct | 7th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, mathematics.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.