The Top Carpentry Schools in 2024

A large private university, University of Southern California offers degrees in carpentry on the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels. The programs are small and offer hands-on experience in the field where they work alongside professionals. The architecture program is the only one in the country with a research program as well. Students will graduate as well-educated carpenters with skills to build, engineer, and manage construction projects.

A private institution in Nashville, Vanderbilt University has educated students since 1873. Currently, Vanderbilt offers a bachelor’s degree in carpentry for students seeking advanced education in this field. The program is very small and students have very small class sizes with hands-on learning experiences, making it one of the best carpentry schools in the country.

A private research university in Houston, Rice University is situated on a 300-acre campus with high-tech woodshop labs on site. Those seeking a degree in carpentry can enroll in the bachelor’s degree. Students have access to the woodshop area with high-powered tools, hand-tools, and other tools to help them gain the skill set necessary for success in their field.

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a large public university that has one carpentry program. Students have access to a 6,000 square foot woodshop facility where they have work stations with most of the machinery they will be handling on the job. They also have access to a variety of materials as well while they are gaining the necessary skills and experience.

Rode Island School of Design is a private art and design school that has been open since 1877. Currently, the carpentry degree is the Furniture and Woodworking specialization. This degree is a Bachelor of Arts and will require students to finish their general education courses as well as the core coursework in woodworking. Students that have a more artistic ability with their carpentry skills should consider this program.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology offers one of the top carpentry schools in the United States. It engages students with the most current technology in the industry and plenty of hands-on experience. Students begin using their skills in their sophomore year by completing a construction project, building a duplex, which has been part of the curriculum since 1950.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College offers a two-year carpentry program where students apply the technical knowledge and skills to layout, fabricate, erect, install and repair wooden structures. The program is designed to be completed in two years, certifying students to be employed in the state of Louisiana in carpentry.

The Rochester Community and Technical College has a carpentry program that is designed to prepare students for careers in residential and commercial construction, cabinetry, factories, and building maintenance fields. The primary activity of the program at RCTC is that of building a house that includes creating a layout, a foundation, the framing, the roofing, the insulation, the drywall, and the interior construction. Over half of the program’s instruction will be on-site while building the home.

At Indiana University-Bloomington, students seeking a degree in carpentry will find the degree mixed with architecture and design. Those seeking a more artistic and in-depth program will find various specialties at Indiana University. They won’t be building homes but they can learn design and metalworking, as well as have the opportunity to work with other varieties of materials.

A private technical college in St. Louis, Ranken Technical College offers practical hands-on learning where students gain the necessary skills for success. Students in the carpentry program will spend a minimum of 15 hours per week either in the on-campus shop or on a job site. Students will learn how to take their projects from the planning and drafting stages to completion.

Emily Griffith Technical College is one of the best carpentry schools in the United States because it offers a diverse carpentry program that allows students to gain core knowledge in the carpentry, electrical, and plumbing aspects of building. This program can be completed in 10 months and will give graduates the certifications necessary to be employed at most construction sites. Those seeking further certifications for plumbers or electricians can earn those after and advance their education and earning potential. For those only wanting to study carpentry, EGTC can help you get started in a carpentry apprenticeship.

The New School offers a school of design in which students will build on basic woodworking skills. Courses are offered that allow them to design and create their own furniture, cabinets, etc. They will experiment with various materials and learn useful techniques. Students will learn while completing commissions under the direction of expert teachers in the shop.

Bates Technical College is a two-year associate and certification granting institution that offers programs in carpentry. Students that participate in and graduate from the carpentry program will complete their pre-apprenticeship requirements and qualify for an apprenticeship program. The program takes 6 quarters for students to complete. They will gain a core knowledge of reading blueprints and understanding building codes while getting some hands-on experience with building.

Renton Technical College offers an intense carpentry program that takes 2- to 4-years to complete. Students will participate in 160 hours of classroom coursework over the course of a year. These are scheduled to be completed one full week at a time. When students are not in class they are on a worksite learning from hands-on experience as they build concrete forms, frame buildings, build walls, roofs, handrails, etc. Students will be required to complete anywhere from 5,300 hours to 8,000 hours of on-site work depending on their specialty.

Minnesota West Community and Technical College offers both an Associate of Science in Carpentry as well as a certification program. Students in each program will learn the basics of residential and commercial construction. Students of the diploma program learn green building and will participate in some green construction. Students learn to incorporate green building practices into their whole design and construction process. This program will require students to do hands-on work and be outside.

At Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, students have opportunities to earn some income while learning through the on-the-job training program. The carpentry program is respected by the Association of Builders and Contractors. Students will have course works as well a hands-on experience, though most of the learning will be through hands-on construction. Wisconsin Indianhead works closely with apprenticeship programs, giving students networking opportunities to fulfill their apprenticeship.

Honolulu Community College provides a unique and innovative approach to carpentry. Students can explore their interests in the shop on-campus since it is a learning-centered open-door program. Those that want to pursue a career in carpentry are able to enroll in a 4-year apprenticeship program where students will learn in greater detail the industry standards and safety regulations.

Los Angeles Trade Technical College provides aspiring carpenters with a few paths to reach their goals including an Associate of Applied Science degree, an Associate of Arts degree, as well as certification. Students need to commit to attending full-time as they will be attending classes and gaining necessary skills in the labs. Students will also need to fulfill a number of on-site hours which can be done at a student’s employment on a construction site.