How Much Do Trade Workers Make? Salary Data for 30 Skilled Trades

Let's cut through the noise and talk real numbers. Trade workers in 2024 are earning solid, middle-class wages—often without the student debt that comes with a four-year degree. The median salary across all skilled trades sits around $56,000 annually, but that's just the starting point.

What makes trade salaries interesting is the earning potential. While a college graduate might start at $45,000 and slowly climb to $65,000 over a decade, skilled tradespeople often hit $60,000+ within 2-3 years and can push into six-figure territory through specialization, overtime, and entrepreneurship.

The highest-paying trades—power line technicians, elevator mechanics, and power plant operators—regularly see median salaries above $85,000. Add in overtime (common in many trades), and total compensation often exceeds $100,000 annually. Even traditionally lower-paying trades like landscaping and painting offer clear paths to $50,000+ for those who develop expertise and business skills.

Here's what drives these numbers: demand consistently outpaces supply in most trades, giving workers leverage. The baby boomer retirement wave is creating massive labor shortages. And unlike many white-collar jobs, trade work can't be outsourced overseas. When your community needs an electrician, plumber, or HVAC tech, they need someone local who can show up and fix the problem.

The elite tier of trade work offers exceptional earning potential, with median salaries ranging from $80,000 to over $100,000 annually. These positions typically require specialized training and often involve working with high-voltage systems, complex machinery, or critical infrastructure.

Power line technicians lead the pack at $92,000 median salary, with experienced linemen in high-demand areas earning $120,000+. The work is physically demanding and potentially dangerous, but utilities pay premium wages to attract skilled workers. Elevator mechanics and installers follow closely at $90,500, benefiting from the specialized knowledge required to maintain increasingly complex elevator systems.

Power plant operators ($91,000), petroleum pump system operators ($89,000), and nuclear technicians ($88,000) round out this tier. These roles often require security clearances and extensive safety training, but offer exceptional job security and benefits packages that rival any corporate job.

Boilermakers ($88,500) and telecommunications equipment installers ($87,000) also crack the top tier. Boilermakers work on power generation equipment and industrial boilers, while telecom installers are riding the wave of 5G infrastructure expansion.

What unites these trades? They're all essential to modern infrastructure, require specialized skills that take years to master, and often involve working in challenging conditions. The barrier to entry is higher than lower-tier trades, but the payoff is substantial. Most offer clear advancement paths to supervisory roles, where salaries can exceed $120,000.

This tier represents the sweet spot of trade work—solid middle-class earnings with reasonable training requirements and good job security. These trades typically require 6 months to 2 years of training and offer median salaries between $60,000-$79,999.

Plumbers lead this group at $78,000 median salary, with master plumbers in major metro areas often exceeding $90,000. The work involves both new construction and service calls, offering variety and steady demand. HVAC technicians ($77,500) benefit from the growing complexity of climate control systems and the push toward energy efficiency.

Electricians ($76,000) remain one of the most popular trades for good reason—steady work, good pay, and opportunities to specialize in everything from residential service to industrial automation. Millwrights ($74,500) and industrial mechanics ($73,000) maintain and repair the machinery that keeps factories running.

Construction managers ($71,000), diesel mechanics ($69,500), and welders ($68,000) round out this tier. Each offers unique advantages: construction managers can transition from hands-on trades, diesel mechanics work on everything from semis to heavy equipment, and skilled welders can command premium rates for specialized work like underwater or aerospace welding.

The beauty of this tier is the balance. You're not dealing with the extreme working conditions of Tier 1 trades, but you're still earning enough to support a family, buy a home, and build wealth. Many workers in this tier supplement their income with side work, pushing their annual earnings well into the $80,000+ range.

Don't let the lower starting salaries fool you—this tier offers some of the best opportunities for rapid advancement and entrepreneurship. These trades typically require 3-12 months of training and provide solid entry points into the skilled trades world.

Carpentry leads at $58,000 median salary, with finish carpenters and those specializing in custom work often earning significantly more. The trade offers clear paths to general contracting, where six-figure incomes are achievable. Masons ($57,500) and roofers ($56,000) also provide strong earning potential, especially for those willing to start their own companies.

Automotive technicians ($55,500) benefit from increasingly complex vehicle systems that require specialized diagnostic equipment and training. With electric vehicles entering the mainstream, techs with EV certification command premium wages. Heavy equipment operators ($54,000) work on construction sites, mines, and infrastructure projects.

Drywall installers ($52,000), painters ($51,500), and flooring installers ($50,000) might start lower, but skilled craftsmen in these trades often earn $70,000+ through efficiency, quality work, and customer relationships. Landscapers ($48,000) have perhaps the most entrepreneurial potential—landscape business owners regularly build six-figure companies.

What makes this tier attractive is the speed to market. You can complete training and start earning within months, not years. While starting salaries are modest, the learning curve allows for rapid income growth. Many successful contractors started in this tier, learned the business side, and built thriving companies.

Understanding why some trades pay more than others helps you make smarter career decisions. It's not random—specific factors consistently drive higher wages across the skilled trades.

Danger and working conditions top the list. Power line technicians earn premium wages partly because they work with potentially lethal high-voltage systems. Underwater welders can earn $100,000+ because few people want to weld in dark, confined underwater spaces. The more challenging or risky the working conditions, the higher the pay premium.

Complexity and specialization matter enormously. A basic residential electrician might earn $65,000, while an industrial automation specialist with the same electrical license earns $95,000. The deeper your expertise in specialized systems, the more you're worth. Nuclear technicians out-earn regular maintenance workers because nuclear systems require extensive training and security clearances.

Location creates massive pay variations. A plumber in rural Mississippi might earn $45,000, while the same plumber in San Francisco earns $95,000. High cost-of-living areas, major metropolitan regions, and places with labor shortages consistently pay more. Alaska, North Dakota (during oil booms), and major cities often offer 20-50% pay premiums.

Union membership historically adds 10-20% to wages, plus superior benefits. Union electricians, plumbers, and heavy equipment operators typically out-earn their non-union counterparts. However, union work may have different requirements and less flexibility for entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship multiplies earning potential across all trades. The difference between working for someone else and owning your own business can be $30,000-$50,000 annually, regardless of the specific trade.

Smart career planning means considering not just final salary, but how quickly you can start earning good money. Some trades require 4-5 years of apprenticeship, while others can get you working at decent wages within months.

HVAC technician offers perhaps the best ratio in skilled trades. You can complete a certificate program in 6-24 months and start earning $45,000-$55,000 immediately. Within 3-5 years, $75,000+ is realistic. The math works: invest 1-2 years in training, earn good wages quickly, and reach top-tier pay within a reasonable timeframe.

Electrician apprenticeships take 4 years, but you earn while learning, starting around $35,000 and graduating at $70,000+. The progression is steady and predictable. Plumbing offers similar advantages with slightly shorter apprenticeships in some areas.

Truck driving deserves mention here—CDL training takes just 3-8 weeks, and over-the-road drivers can earn $60,000+ in their first year. Owner-operators with their own trucks can exceed $100,000, though they bear business expenses and risks.

Welding provides flexibility unmatched by other trades. Basic welding certification takes 6-18 months, starting wages hit $40,000-$50,000, but specialized welders (underwater, aerospace, pipeline) can command $80,000-$120,000 with additional training.

Avoid trades with poor ratios. Becoming a licensed elevator mechanic might eventually pay $90,000+, but the apprenticeship can take 4-5 years, and opportunities are limited to major metropolitan areas. Heavy equipment operator pays well but requires expensive training and has fewer entrepreneurial opportunities than other trades.

Earning potential in the trades isn't just about picking the right career—it's about how you develop within that career. The difference between average and high earners often comes down to strategy, not just skill.

Specialization consistently drives higher wages. A general electrician earns good money, but an electrician specializing in industrial automation, solar installation, or data centers commands premium rates. Same principle applies across trades: HVAC techs specializing in commercial systems, welders certified for aerospace work, or plumbers with backflow certification all out-earn their generalist counterparts.

Certifications and continuing education pay for themselves quickly. Getting certified in new technologies—like electric vehicle maintenance for automotive techs or smart home systems for electricians—often adds $5,000-$15,000 to annual earning potential. Most certifications cost $500-$2,000 and take weeks, not years.

Geography matters more in trades than most careers. Research markets before committing to training. Oil boom towns, major infrastructure projects, and high cost-of-living cities offer significant pay premiums. Sometimes earning $95,000 in Houston beats earning $65,000 in small-town America, even accounting for living costs.

Entrepreneurship transforms earning potential. Many successful trade contractors started as employees, learned the business side, then launched their own companies. A plumber making $75,000 as an employee might earn $150,000 running a three-truck operation. The transition requires business skills beyond technical expertise, but the payoff is substantial.

Network aggressively within your trade. The best opportunities—whether high-paying jobs, training opportunities, or business partnerships—often come through professional relationships, not job boards.