Carpenters - Employment & Outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

Employment

Major employers:

House construction companies
Office and industrial building construction companies
Framing contractors
Finish carpentry contractors

Outlook

Job growth for carpenters will be about average. Demand for housing increases as the population grows. Jobs will also be created when government spending increases for projects such as bridges and roads.

However, builders are using more pre-built components, such as wall panels and stairs. These can be installed very quickly, lowering the need for carpenters. In addition, improved glues and lightweight, cordless tools make carpenters more efficient.

Carpenters sometimes have periods of unemployment. This is due to the short-term nature of many jobs and construction slow downs during colder months. During economic slowdowns, the number of job openings for carpenters declines. Carpenters who have all-round skills will have the best job prospects.

Carpenters (CIS 100265)

Location	Employment	&	Growth		>>>>	Annual openings
			This occupation	All occupations
Illinois	29,749 Very large	&	1.3%	2.7%	>>>>	2,492 Very High
Champaign Area	860 Very large	&	0.2%	1.9%	>>>>	70 Moderate
Charleston-Effingham-Centralia Area	728 Very large	&	-1.5%	-1.2%	>>>>	58 Moderate
Cook County	10,313 Very large	&	1.0%	3.0%	>>>>	859 High
Decatur Area	626 Very large	&	-9.7%	0.1%	>>>>	43 Moderate
DeKalb-Elgin-Aurora Area	1,934 Very large	&	3.5%	4.0%	>>>>	168 High
Du Page County	3,378 Very large	&	1.0%	3.7%	>>>>	281 High
Edwardsville Area	810 Very large	&	7.2%	4.4%	>>>>	75 Moderate
Jacksonville-Carlinville-Litchfield Area	241 Large	&	1.7%	-2.2%	>>>>	19 Few
Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area	671 Very large	&	0.0%	-0.1%	>>>>	55 Moderate
Lake County	1,758 Very large	&	1.1%	2.6%	>>>>	147 High
McHenry County	910 Very large	&	5.4%	6.1%	>>>>	81 High
Mt Vernon-Marion-Carbondale Area	433 Large	&	3.2%	0.2%	>>>>	37 Few
Northwest Illinois Area	657 Very large	&	6.8%	5.1%	>>>>	60 Moderate
Peoria-Bloomington Area	1,349 Very large	&	1.6%	1.3%	>>>>	113 Moderate
Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area	471 Large	&	1.1%	-1.6%	>>>>	38 Moderate
Rock Island-Moline Area	455 Large	&	0.4%	1.8%	>>>>	38 Moderate
Rockford Area	848 Very large	&	1.2%	2.4%	>>>>	71 Moderate
Shawnee National Forest Area	194 Large	&	0.5%	-0.3%	>>>>	16 Few
Springfield Area	612 Large	&	-6.2%	-0.8%	>>>>	45 Moderate
St Louis-Belleville Area	896 Very large	&	1.2%	0.2%	>>>>	74 Moderate
Vermilion County	123 Large	&	3.3%	-5.1%	>>>>	10 Few
Will County	1,787 Very large	&	4.0%	5.4%	>>>>	157 High
United States	959,000 Very large	&	4.5%	3.1%	>>>>	74,100 High