by Updated on | $ Certificate in Carpentry: $750-$6,500 | $ $ Associate's Degree in Carpentry: $4,000-$20,000 |
Carpenters receive training through technical colleges, vocational schools, or apprenticeships, using programs that can last one to four years.
A certificate in carpentry means that the students are trained on specifics needed to enter the career, while an associate’s degree covers carpentry skills plus general education courses such as math, writing and computer skills, that will be helpful for carpenters aiming at a supervisory position.
Typical Costs
A certificate in carpentry costs $750-$6,500 and can be completed in one year.
Penn Foster’s online carpentry program, for instance, costs $758, while the residential carpenter program at Caddo Kiowa Technology Center in Fort Cobb, OK, costs $2,550 for Oklahoma residents in the nine-month program, or $5,780 for out-of-state residents
At the same time Peninsula College in Port Angeles, WA charges $3,100 for residents and $3,700 for non-residents for its one-year program.
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Popular Programs
An associate’s degree in carpentry costs $4,000-$20,000 and usually takes two years to complete.
The courses and fees at Alexandria Technical & Community College in Minnesota cost $12,468 for the associate’s degree in carpentry.
At the same time, the University of Montana in Missoula charges $6,600 for residents or $19,800 for non-residents for tuition and fees for the two-year associate’s degree in carpentry.
A formal apprenticeship in carpentry can cost $0-$15,000 and last 3-4 years.
The Ohio Carpenters’ Joint Apprenticeship & Training Program, for example, is offered at no cost to students, and workers may earn 40%-95% of a standard carpenter’s wage while they work.
At the same time, at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin, the carpentry apprenticeship program lasts four years and costs $13,370; students complete 400 hours of paid work while under instruction.
Licensing or registration fees for carpenters cost $50-$325 for one or two years, where the costs vary by state.
A two-year carpentry license cost $113 in Washington, for example, and $325 in Oregon.
What Is Included
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a carpentry student’s education has to cover structural design, plus carpentry techniques and tools.
- The topics covered in a certificate program have to include blueprint reading and framing, construction methods and estimating, interior finishing and cabinet making, as well as materials and safety.
- The associate’s degree program covers all of these job skills including the required coursework in mathematics, computers, and writing, that could be helpful in any field of work, according to the Education Portal.
Additional Costs
The program fees such as accommodation and board, books and tools, as well as uniforms can add $500-$20,000 to the total cost of the carpentry student.
The Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton, OK, for example, estimates a fee of $45 for two uniforms and $100 for tools such as the speed square and the tape measure, the tool belt and the catspaw, the chalk box, and the hammer.
At the same time, Minnesota’s Alexandria Technical & Community College estimates book costs of approx. $700-$800 annually and $2,000 in additional fees.
The accommodation and board at Austin Community College in Texas cost $9,270.
Discounts
Colleges or trade groups usually offer modest scholarships to qualified carpentry students.
The Milwaukee/NARI Foundation, for example, awards up to $500 annually for qualified carpentry students attending area schools.
At the same time, the Associated General Contractors of America grants 100 new scholarships each year of up to $2,500.
Shopping For Carpentry Training
- Read our full guide on how to become a carpenter.
- The United Brotherhood of Carpenters labor union lists union-affiliated carpentry training programs.
- The Contractor’s Licenses Reference Site gives contact information for each state’s contractor licensing bureau.