Retraining ReportJob training public funding can pay for

Find training

Carpentry classes in California

8 carpentry programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

7 schools offer these carpentry programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Carpenters build, repair and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials. Most have a high school diploma and learn on the job or through an apprenticeship.1

In California, 3 of the 8 programs take students without a high school diploma, 2 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 3 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 8 programs here are carpentry certificate or diploma (3 programs), pre-apprenticeship (2 programs), construction and building trades (1 program), carpentry apprenticeship (1 program), and 1 more of one other kind.

See the 8 programs

How much do carpentry classes cost in California?

$906 to $3,396 is what most carpentry programs in California cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 8 programs with a price. All of them: $450 to $8,000

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
12 to 40 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in California may also offer carpentry classes. How these figures are made

Are there free carpentry classes in California?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: paid apprenticeships, financial aid and the GI Bill

All 8 carpentry programs in California approved for WIOA funding

Filters
What you need to enroll
Kind of program
School
How it's taught
How to show the list

8 programs

  • Carpentry certificate or diplomaIn personNo diploma needed

    Carpentry Trades

    Charter Oak Adult Education

    Covina

    No diploma needed

    Charter Oak Adult Education, CovinaCarpentry certificate or diplomaIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$450
    Program website, Carpentry Trades at Charter Oak Adult Education
    More details about Carpentry Trades at Charter Oak Adult Education
    Finished
    90%
    Working at 6 months
    69%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    30 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,285
    Students counted
    154
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $450
    Program website, Carpentry Trades at Charter Oak Adult Education

  • Pre-apprenticeshipIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program

    JobTrain

    Menlo Park

    High school diploma or equivalent

    JobTrain, Menlo ParkPre-apprenticeshipIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$37,200
    Price if you pay yourself$8,000
    Program website, Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program at JobTrain
    More details about Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program at JobTrain
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    58%
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,308
    Length
    12 weeks, 30 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    145
    Earned a year, estimated
    $37,200
    Price if you pay yourself
    $8,000
    Program website, Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program at JobTrain

  • Pre-apprenticeshipIn personEducation and courses

    Heartland Coalition Carpentry Construction Pre-Apprenticeship

    Heartland Coalition

    Pomona

    Education and courses

    Heartland Coalition, PomonaPre-apprenticeshipIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$33,500
    Price if you pay yourself$5,000

    79 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Heartland Coalition Carpentry Construction Pre-Apprenticeship at Heartland Coalition
    More details about Heartland Coalition Carpentry Construction Pre-Apprenticeship at Heartland Coalition
    Finished
    82%
    Working at 6 months
    75%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,369
    Length
    8 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $943
    Students counted
    79
    Earned a year, estimated
    $33,500
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,000
    students trained with WIOA funding
    79
    Program website, Heartland Coalition Carpentry Construction Pre-Apprenticeship at Heartland Coalition

  • Carpentry certificate or diplomaHybridEducation and courses

    Carpentry Certificate of Accomplishment

    City College of San Francisco

    San Francisco

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    City College of San Francisco, San FranciscoCarpentry certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$598
    More details about Carpentry Certificate of Accomplishment at City College of San Francisco
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    18 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $29
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $598

  • Construction and building tradesIn personPrerequisite courses

    Construction Technology C.A.

    Cuesta College

    San Luis Obispo

    Accredited school

    Prerequisite courses

    Cuesta College, San Luis ObispoConstruction and building trades · Accredited schoolIn person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,008
    Program website, Construction Technology C.A. at Cuesta College
    More details about Construction Technology C.A. at Cuesta College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    36 weeks, 29 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,044
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,008
    Program website, Construction Technology C.A. at Cuesta College

  • Carpentry apprenticeshipIn personNo diploma needed

    Carpentry Journeyman

    Santiago Canyon College

    Santa Ana

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Santiago Canyon College, Santa AnaCarpentry apprenticeship · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,604
    More details about Carpentry Journeyman at Santiago Canyon College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    10 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,500
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,604

  • Carpentry certificate or diplomaIn personNo diploma needed

    Carpentry: Certificate of Achievement

    Laney College

    Oakland

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Laney College, OaklandCarpentry certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,734
    Program website, Carpentry: Certificate of Achievement at Laney College
    More details about Carpentry: Certificate of Achievement at Laney College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    52 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,688
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,734
    Program website, Carpentry: Certificate of Achievement at Laney College

  • Carpentry or construction (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Carpentry: A.S. Degree

    Laney College

    Oakland

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Laney College, OaklandCarpentry or construction (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,861
    Program website, Carpentry: A.S. Degree at Laney College
    More details about Carpentry: A.S. Degree at Laney College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    52 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,688
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,861
    Program website, Carpentry: A.S. Degree at Laney College

How to pay for carpentry classes in California

WIOA funding can pay for carpentry classes in California

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Paid carpentry apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a job: you're paid to learn, with a raise as your skills grow, and most include classroom teaching. You apply to the employer or the program sponsor. Ask what you'll pay for the classroom part and what you'll earn on the job.6

Financial aid and grants for carpentry classes

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for carpentry classes

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Carpentry classes in California

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
1st of 20
carpentry programs here, against the typical state's 5
8 vs 5

State comparisons use the same figures as the carpentry classes by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Carpentry apprenticeships in California

A carpentry apprenticeship sets a number of hours of classes and paid work on the job for each year. Unions and contractor associations run most programs, and apprentices learn carpentry basics, blueprint reading, math, building codes, and safety and first aid.1

You apply to the employer or the program sponsor, not through a school.6 The Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Finder lists openings by place and job. This page lists 1 carpentry apprenticeship approved for WIOA funding in California. Ask what you'll pay for the classes and what you'll earn on the job. There are also 2 pre-apprenticeships here, courses that prepare you to apply.

Show only the carpentry apprenticeship

What is an apprenticeship, and can WIOA pay for one?

Carpentry classes in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo and other California cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in California

How carpentry classes compare with the rest of skilled trades: Trade school programs in California

Where the California carpentry program numbers come from

Which California carpentry programs are on this list?

These are the carpentry programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

How the prices and results of California carpentry programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about carpentry classes in California

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Carpenters
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Labor, Apprenticeship.gov: Discover Apprenticeship: Earn While You Learn Today (fact sheet)
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List