Carpenters salary in Lansing, MI
Median pay for carpenters in Lansing, MI: $59,140/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $38,760 – $76,930 · about 1,070 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($49,990) by +$9,150 (+18%).
What it's really worth in Lansing
With Lansing's cost of living at 93 (US=100), that $59,140 has the buying power of about $63,574 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $68,270 · median home $250,377 · median rent $1,265/mo.
How Lansing ranks for this job
On raw pay, Lansing, MI is 54th of the 187 metros we hold carpenters wages for. Once Lansing's cost of living is applied, it ranks 23rd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Lansing is one of the places where carpenters gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Lansing
A median home in Lansing, MI costs $250,377 — about 4.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,265/mo works out at 26% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where carpenters earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Lansing.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lansing | Rent vs Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $90,030 | +52% | 2.4× |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $80,260 | +36% | 2.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $79,730 | +35% | 2.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $75,600 | +28% | 2.9× |
Same job elsewhere in MI
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lansing | Rent vs Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | $61,000 | +3% | 1.2× |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $59,710 | +1% | 1.6× |
| Flint, MI | $55,160 | −7% | 0.9× |
| Kalamazoo, MI | $51,050 | −14% | 1× |
Staying in MI keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires carpenters around Lansing
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- State of Michigan · Government
Other jobs in Lansing
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.