The invention provides a method for prolonging the service life of a silicon carbide epitaxial wafer carrier. The method comprises the following steps: S1, placing a silicon-surface silicon carbide substrate on a graphite base; s2, adjusting conditions in the reaction chamber and growing a buffer layer; s3, the growth temperature and pressure are kept unchanged, the C / Si ratio is reduced, and then the C / Si ratio is increased in a linear gradual change mode for first-time growth; s4, keeping the growth temperature and pressure unchanged, and continuing n times of rate switching gradient layer growth; s5, conditions in the reaction chamber are adjusted, and growth of an epitaxial layer is completed; s6, after epitaxial layer growth is completed, the growth source and the doping source are closed, finally, argon is used for inflating the pressure of the reaction chamber to atmospheric pressure, and then the chamber is opened to take the wafer. According to the invention, the gradient layer design is optimized by adopting the method of growing the plating layer in a stepped manner, the purposes of compensating the carbon vacancy generated by the buffer layer and inhibiting the formation of the carbon vacancy of the gradient layer are achieved, and the carrier lifetime of the silicon carbide epitaxial wafer is greatly prolonged.