UnionCarpenters Southern California wages 2026 (California)
The hourly rates, overtime, shift, vacation and per diem rules of Carpenters Southern California in California, read from the one agreement built into the Carpenter app. An independent guide: the agreement and your hall have the final word.
Construction (11 southern counties)
Southern California Carpenters Master Labor Agreement 2026–2030, as published by California's Department of Industrial Relations (SC-23-31-2-2026-2): Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties
$54.41an hour
Carpenter, Construction (11 southern counties)
From July 1, 2026. No later step published.
| Classification | From July 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Carpenter (also cabinet, insulation, hardwood floor and acoustical installer)base rate | $54.41 |
| Pile driverman, bridge or dock carpenter, shingler, pneumatic nailer | $54.54 |
| Scaffold builder | $47.54 |
| Apprentice, period 890% | $48.97 |
| Apprentice, period 780% | $43.53 |
| Apprentice, period 675% | $40.81 |
| Apprentice, period 570% | $38.09 |
| Apprentice, period 465% | $35.37 |
| Apprentice, period 360% | $32.65 |
| Apprentice, period 2 (600 hours)50% | $27.21 |
| Apprentice, period 1 (first 1,000 hours)state floor | $21.97 |
- Overtime
- Overtime (DIR footnotes): Monday to Friday, the first 4 hours past 8 are time and a half and every hour past 12 is double time; Saturday's first 8 hours are time and a half, then double time; Sundays and holidays are double time.
- Shift premium
- No shift premium is published for this agreement, so the app adds none for night work.
- Per diem and travel
- Carpenters travel on their own time with no per diem (s.1610).
One 40-hour week, worked out
Week of October 25, 2026Carpenter (also cabinet, insulation, hardwood floor and acoustical installer), Construction (11 southern counties)
Example| Day | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Earnings | |
| Regular40 h × 54.41 | 2,176.40 |
| Vacation and holiday, incl. supplemental dues (taxable)40 h × 7.57 | 302.80 |
| Gross pay | 2,479.20 |
| Deductions | |
| Vacation and supplemental dues (to the fund and the union)per hour | −302.80 |
| Social Security6.2% | −153.71 |
| Medicare1.45% | −35.95 |
| CA SDI | −32.23 |
| Federal income taxestimate (W-4) | −378.35 |
| California income taxestimate | −167.02 |
What's missing
Where the app can't follow a rule to the letter yet, its notes say so, and say how to allow for it when you enter your hours. From this page's agreements:
- The splits aren't published, so the app keeps the 2026 rates after July 1 2027: then type your new rate under Enter my own rate.
- The page doesn't say whether a holiday on a Saturday or Sunday moves, so the app leaves it on its date (Independence Day 2026 on Saturday July 4); if your job takes the Friday or Monday off instead, tick Holiday on that day.
- The split between the two isn't published for these counties (San Diego's January 2026 sheet split its amount $5.00 vacation and $2.46 supplemental dues), and neither is whether it runs through your taxable pay. The app takes the cautious route: it adds the whole $7.57 to your taxable pay and takes it back off after tax, so the tax shown may be a little high and take-home a little low. It uses $7.57 for every class, apprentices included, and for weeks before July 1 2026.
- Working dues beyond the supplemental dues aren't published; if your stub shows a percentage, type it on the Settings tab.
Enter your own hours in the Carpenter app: it applies these rates, the overtime and holiday rules, dues and tax, and keeps a year of paychecks. Free for a month.
Your agreement isn't here, or a number is wrong? Send us your agreement from the app's Settings tab. If the app doesn't have it yet, you get a free year when it's added.
Questions
What does a Southern California journeyman make in 2026?
$54.41 an hour under the Southern California Carpenters Master Labor Agreement 2026–2030, as published by California's Department of Industrial Relations (SC-23-31-2-2026-2): Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, from July 1, 2026.
When is the next Southern California raise?
No later step is published in the data for the Construction (11 southern counties) agreement. Rates usually change once a year; check the schedule before you count on a raise.
What do Southern California apprentices make?
Apprentice, period 8 $48.97 (90%), Apprentice, period 7 $43.53 (80%), Apprentice, period 6 $40.81 (75%), Apprentice, period 5 $38.09 (70%), Apprentice, period 4 $35.37 (65%), Apprentice, period 3 $32.65 (60%), Apprentice, period 2 (600 hours) $27.21 (50%) and Apprentice, period 1 (first 1,000 hours) $21.97 (state floor) an hour from July 1, 2026.
Does Southern California pay a per diem?
Carpenters travel on their own time with no per diem (s.1610).
How is Southern California overtime paid?
Overtime (DIR footnotes): Monday to Friday, the first 4 hours past 8 are time and a half and every hour past 12 is double time; Saturday's first 8 hours are time and a half, then double time; Sundays and holidays are double time.
Sources
The agreements and schedules these numbers were read from. Built October 15, 2026 from the Carpenter app, version 0.1.0.
Independent. Not affiliated with any union. Check your agreement.