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Become a carpenter

Carpentry apprenticeships in Metro Detroit

Concrete forms, framing, interior systems and finish work on commercial jobs. Carpenters earn a median $31.64 an hour in the Detroit metro ($65,810 a year). The Department of Labor lists 9 registered sponsors for the trade in the six counties.

median an hour
$31.64
registered sponsors
9
registered term
3 to 4 years
working here
7,610
How to apply Training centers

The pay ladder

Carpenters in the Detroit metro

  1. Top of the trade 90th percentile, about $79,600 a year full time $39.80
  2. Senior hand 75th percentile, about $76,980 a year full time $38.49
  3. Journeyworker median, about $63,280 a year full time $31.64
  4. A few years in 25th percentile, about $50,100 a year full time $25.05
  5. Starting out 10th percentile, about $45,720 a year full time $22.86

BLS, May 2025. Apprentices start on their program's own scale and climb toward these rungs.

Wayne Oakland Macomb St. Clair Livingston Lapeer
Numbers match the training centers listed on this page; centers a few miles apart share a number. County lines from the U.S. Census Bureau; center addresses from the Department of Labor's RAPIDS records.

Training centers

Where carpenters train

1 Detroit

County by county

Carpentry apprenticeships in each county

Registered carpentry programs by county

  1. Wayne County 5 programs
  2. Oakland County 3 programs
  3. Macomb County 1 program

U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026.

How to apply

How to become a carpenter apprentice

  1. Check the requirements

    Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.

    Detroit Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center requirements

  2. Take the entry test

    Many programs ask for the ACT WorkKeys or another entrance test; Michigan's apprenticeship office tells applicants to brush up on math first.

    Michigan LEO advice

  3. Apply in the window

    Union programs take applications in set windows. Watch the training center's own site and apply early.

    Apply at Detroit Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center

  4. Get ready while you wait

    Your Michigan Works! agency helps with test prep, pre-apprenticeship classes and the work boots.

    Find your Michigan Works! agency

  5. Start work, earn raises

    The Department of Labor's registered carpenter standards run 5,200 to 8,000 hours on the job, 3 to 4 years, with a raise as each period is done.

    Carpentry apprenticeships

Outlook

Jobs for carpenters in the next ten years

Michigan expects 27,670 carpenters by 2034 (up 1.1% from 2024), with about 1,990 openings a year as people retire and move on. Nationally, BLS projects up 3.9% from 2025 to 2035; it lists apprenticeship as the usual training.

Sponsors

Registered carpentry sponsors in Metro Detroit

  • GM Factory Zero Detroit Union
  • GM Pontiac Manufacturing Pontiac Union
  • GM Tech Center Warren Union
  • General Motors Romulus Propulsion Operations Romulus Union
  • Michigan Statewide Carpenters & Millwrights JATF Detroit Union
  • NAO Orion Assembly Center CLCD GMC Lake Orion Union
  • Brookins Construction Apprenticeship Institute Detroit
  • Michigan Institute of Technology and Trades Detroit
  • Perry Street Property Group Pontiac

Other trades

Compare another trade

Electrical Plumbing and pipefitting HVAC and refrigeration Millwrights Roofing Masonry and concrete Tile and terrazzo Painting and finishing Glazing Welding Ironwork Operating engineers Sheet metal Heat and frost insulation Elevator construction Construction laborers Power line work

Keep going

Careers, jobs and training

Questions

What people ask

How much do carpenters make in Metro Detroit?

The median is $31.64 an hour ($65,810 a year) in the Detroit metro, from $22.86 at the 10th percentile to $39.80 at the 90th (BLS, May 2025).

How long is a carpenter apprenticeship?

The Department of Labor's registered carpenter standards run 5,200 to 8,000 hours of on-the-job learning, 3 to 4 years, plus classes.

Where do carpenters train near Detroit?

Detroit Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center (Michigan Statewide Carpenters and Millwrights JATF) in Detroit.

How many carpentry apprenticeship programs are there?

RAPIDS lists 9 registered sponsors based in the six counties: Wayne County 5, Oakland County 3, and Macomb County 1.

What do I need to apply?

Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.

Sources

Where these numbers come from

  • Programs and sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026. Michigan's registered apprenticeships are kept by the federal Michigan Apprenticeship Office, so RAPIDS is the official list.
  • Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area (Michigan where the metro figure is not published).
  • Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and Michigan's long-term projections 2024 to 2034.
  • Length: the U.S. Department of Labor's approved apprenticeship occupations, in on-the-job hours.