Carpenters vs Police
Police earns $16,730 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Carpenters | Police | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2025 | $60,580 | $77,310 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $40,410 to $99,910 | not published to not published |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 0 | 0.5 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | See How to Become One |
| Jobs opening up each year | 62,800 | 60,100 |
| Growth by 2035 | 3.9% | 2.9% |
| People doing it now | 889,700 | 824,200 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $85,280 in Hawaii down to $46,910 in Oklahoma | $118,880 in California down to $46,140 in Mississippi |
Also compared: Automotive Service Technicians vs Carpenters Carpenters vs Dental Assistants Carpenters vs Diesel Service Technicians Carpenters vs EMTs Carpenters vs Electricians Carpenters vs Firefighters
Jobs that use what you already know
Same skills, same knowledge, same daily tasks. Most of these are not on this site.
Police covers 7 separate job codes. “6 of 7” means 6 of those 7 name that job as closely related.
Carpenters
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
What these usually take: High school, then a few months to a year of on-the-job training.
Police
- Private Detectives and Investigators6 of 7
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives5 of 7
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts3 of 7
- Forensic Science Technicians3 of 7
- Compliance Officers3 of 7
- Coroners2 of 7
O*NET 30.3 Database, U.S. Department of Labor. These are jobs that use similar skills, knowledge and daily tasks. It is a measure of how alike two jobs are — not a record of people moving between them.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2025, and employment projections 2025-35. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.