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TradePay

BLS 2025 Data

What Skilled Trades Actually Pay

Real salary data for 50 trades across 30 cities. Percentile breakdowns, Trade Pay Scores, and cost-of-living adjustments.

Highest Paying TradesBrowse by Trade
50
Trades
30
Cities
2K
Data Points
7.2M
Workers Tracked

Browse by Trade

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Construction Manager

Management

$112,501
30 cities · +12% growth
B

Elevator Mechanic

Specialty · 4yr apprenticeship

$103,991
30 cities · +18% growth
A

Electrical Power-Line Tech

Electrical · 4yr apprenticeship

$87,867
30 cities · +16% growth
A

Power Line Installer

Electrical · 4yr apprenticeship

$87,732
30 cities · +16% growth
A

Underwater Welder

Welding · 5yr apprenticeship

$80,828
30 cities · +7% growth
C

Aircraft Mechanic

Automotive · 2yr apprenticeship

$76,453
30 cities · +10% growth
C

Pile Driver Operator

Heavy Equipment · 4yr apprenticeship

$73,688
30 cities · +6% growth
C

Steamfitter

Plumbing · 5yr apprenticeship

$70,357
30 cities · +9% growth
C

Building Inspector

Management

$70,280
30 cities · +6% growth
C

Boilermaker

Industrial · 4yr apprenticeship

$67,891
30 cities · +5% growth
C

Fire Sprinkler Fitter

Plumbing · 5yr apprenticeship

$67,639
30 cities · +12% growth
B

Pipefitter

Plumbing · 5yr apprenticeship

$67,249
30 cities · +11% growth
C

Crane Operator

Heavy Equipment · 3yr apprenticeship

$67,153
30 cities · +11% growth
C

Industrial Electrician

Electrical · 4yr apprenticeship

$66,759
30 cities · +13% growth
B

Wind Turbine Technician

Energy · 2yr apprenticeship

$66,008
30 cities · +24% growth
A

Millwright

Industrial · 4yr apprenticeship

$65,704
30 cities · +10% growth
C

Electrician

Electrical · 4yr apprenticeship

$65,308
30 cities · +12% growth
B

Telecommunications Tech

Electrical · 4yr apprenticeship

$65,077
30 cities · +10% growth
C

Plumber

Plumbing · 4yr apprenticeship

$64,109
30 cities · +14% growth
B

Industrial Machinery Mechanic

Industrial · 4yr apprenticeship

$63,930
30 cities · +11% growth
C
View all 50 trades →

Browse by City

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San Francisco, CA

50 tradesCOL: 190
$79,272
avg median

New York, NY

50 tradesCOL: 187
$76,662
avg median

Boston, MA

50 tradesCOL: 152
$73,153
avg median

Seattle, WA

50 tradesCOL: 149
$72,715
avg median

Los Angeles, CA

50 tradesCOL: 166
$69,992
avg median

Philadelphia, PA

50 tradesCOL: 115
$68,084
avg median

Portland, OR

50 tradesCOL: 130
$66,807
avg median

Chicago, IL

50 tradesCOL: 107
$65,831
avg median

Minneapolis, MN

50 tradesCOL: 106
$64,580
avg median

Denver, CO

50 tradesCOL: 128
$62,737
avg median

Houston, TX

50 tradesCOL: 96
$62,344
avg median

Las Vegas, NV

50 tradesCOL: 104
$62,277
avg median

Detroit, MI

50 tradesCOL: 89
$60,855
avg median

Dallas, TX

50 tradesCOL: 102
$60,343
avg median

Milwaukee, WI

50 tradesCOL: 96
$60,127
avg median

Pittsburgh, PA

50 tradesCOL: 92
$59,584
avg median

Salt Lake City, UT

50 tradesCOL: 104
$59,267
avg median

Atlanta, GA

50 tradesCOL: 106
$58,534
avg median

St. Louis, MO

50 tradesCOL: 90
$58,002
avg median

Nashville, TN

50 tradesCOL: 103
$57,177
avg median

Kansas City, MO

50 tradesCOL: 94
$56,970
avg median

Phoenix, AZ

50 tradesCOL: 103
$56,829
avg median

Columbus, OH

50 tradesCOL: 93
$56,088
avg median

Miami, FL

50 tradesCOL: 122
$55,840
avg median

Raleigh, NC

50 tradesCOL: 100
$55,650
avg median

Charlotte, NC

50 tradesCOL: 98
$55,529
avg median

Indianapolis, IN

50 tradesCOL: 91
$54,965
avg median

New Orleans, LA

50 tradesCOL: 95
$54,388
avg median

Tampa, FL

50 tradesCOL: 101
$53,709
avg median

San Antonio, TX

50 tradesCOL: 90
$53,231
avg median

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does this salary data come from?

All wage data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys over 1.1 million establishments annually. This is the same data used by the federal government for labor market analysis.

What is the Trade Pay Score?

The Trade Pay Score (0-100, graded A-F) measures how well a trade pays in a specific city relative to cost of living. It factors in median wage vs. local household income (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), job demand/openings (25%), and cost-of-living adjusted pay (20%). A grade of A means excellent earning potential for that market.

What do the percentiles mean?

The 50th percentile (median) means half of workers in that trade earn more and half earn less. The 10th percentile is typical for apprentices and entry-level workers, while the 90th percentile represents master tradespeople and specialists with decades of experience.

How is cost-of-living adjustment calculated?

We use the MERIC Cost of Living Index where 100 is the national average. A city with an index of 150 means living costs are 50% above average. We adjust salaries to show their real purchasing power — a $60K salary in a city with a COL of 90 goes further than $80K in a city with a COL of 150.