Carpenter in CA

How to Become a Carpenter in California

Carpenters in CA use their creativity and skills to design and build wooden fixtures and furnishings.

If you want to qualify for a carpenter job in California, you’ll need to learn the tools of the trade through extensive hands-on training and classroom instruction.

Depending on your career goals, you may also need to obtain an official state license.

Education and Training

Hands-on training is essential for those wondering how to become carpenters in California. Aspiring carpenters in CA have the following three options to choose from when it comes to completing training so they can qualify for carpenter jobs in California:

  • Take woodshop or carpentry classes during high school
  • Become an apprentice and learn the trade from an experienced carpenter
  • Enroll in a carpentry program at a California trade school

High School Carpentry Classes

Woodshop classes may be available at certain California high schools. Students in these classes learn the basics of woodworking, including:

  • How to select suitable wood types for particular projects
  • How to safely use woodworking tools
  • How to properly cut, shape, and join wood components together

Classes like these give you a fundamental understanding of standard carpentry practices. Some employers hire applicants with this basic amount of knowledge and skill to perform entry-level carpentry jobs in California.

CA Carpenter Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are another way to learn the skills you need to succeed in this career path. Like many aspiring skilled trades workers, those hoping to become carpenters in California can train under licensed professionals to gain industry knowledge and experience. Use the apprenticeship database on the California Department of Industrial Relations website to discover carpentry programs near you.

What Apprenticeships Teach

Once you find an apprenticeship in your area, review the program details to learn about the type of carpentry you’ll be learning, the length of the program, and whether you’ll be getting paid during the apprenticeship.

Program Requirements

Be sure to also check the program requirements that each applicant must meet before applying, including information about the following:

  • Minimum age and education standards
  • Prerequisite exams
  • Driver’s license or student ID requirements
  • Physical requirements
  • Application deadlines
  • Pre-apprenticeship classes for successful candidates

Carpenter Trade School in California

In most cases, it takes years of on-the-job training before high school students and apprentices learn the skills they need to take on complex, higher-paying carpenter jobs in California. If you’re looking to qualify for a carpentry job in a shorter amount of time, consider enrolling in a trade school program.

Vocational Carpentry Programs

Students who enroll in vocational school carpentry programs learn many of the same fundamental principles as students in high school woodshop classes, along with more advanced skills like:

  • Using power tools to cut and turn wood
  • Working with lumber, millwork, fasteners, and adhesives
  • Cabinetry, door, window, and hardwood floor building and installation
  • Furniture building

Additional Courses

Taking some business and communication classes might also be a good idea if you plan to become a private contractor. During these classes, you’ll learn effective marketing strategies for promoting your business, basic accounting, and techniques for setting your rates and negotiating contracts.

How Long is Carpenter Training in CA?

Where most California carpentry apprenticeships are about four years long and require both 4800 work hours and 612 class hours, aspiring carpenters in CA can finish a trade school program in as little as nine months. You may even be able to earn your certificate or diploma in six months, depending on where you enroll.

Program Costs

Schools across the state charge different rates for their carpentry certificate programs. Tuition costs typically range between $750 and $7,000, depending on the school. Meanwhile, an associate’s degree in carpentry may cost anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000.

California Carpenter Requirements

License requirements for carpenters in California only apply to private contractors. You must have a specialty license to perform carpenter jobs in California that involve making items worth over $500 or working with a construction crew to frame the structural components of a building.

Applying for a Carpenter License

To obtain this license from the California Contractors State License Board, you’ll need to take the following steps:

  1. Complete an application form for one of the following:
    1. Specialty C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor License
    2. C-6 Cabinet, Millwork, and Finish Carpentry Contractor License
  2. Submit the application, a copy of your state ID, and proof of at least four years of carpentry experience over the last decade.
  3. Take and pass a state licensing exam
  4. Purchase a $15,000 bond for your business

Again, only contractors must meet the state’s licensing requirements for carpenters in CA. If you’re applying to work under a licensed contractor and earn a regular wage, you can do so as an unlicensed individual.

Carpenter Salaries in CA

Most carpenters in CA make about $67,761 per year. However, the average carpenter salary in California varies depending on where you live. To learn about annual earnings for carpenters in your area, check out the following list of regional salary information for CA:

  • Los Angeles $64,643
  • Sacramento $65,016
  • Napa $72,301
  • San Francisco $81,183
  • Anaheim $67,353
  • San Diego $66,151

Experienced CA carpenters may be able to earn above the average salary in their area, especially if they start their own businesses and acquire high-end contracts and clients. In some cases, these professionals can make closer to $100,000 per year by taking on larger projects with a wealthy clientele.

Job Description

Precise requirements for carpenter jobs in California differ, depending on the project. However, most carpenters in CA perform the following tasks for each contract:

  • Create or consult the blueprints and building plans for the project
  • Select materials based on client specifications
  • Measure, cut, and shape wood and plastic materials
  • Build or install wooden structures and fixtures

Career Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for carpenters in the United States is likely to increase by about two percent over the next decade. While this may seem like a limited growth rate, it roughly translates to about 91,200 job openings becoming available each year between 2021 and 2031. As a result, qualified carpenters in CA may have an easy time finding work during the next ten years.