Trade Salaries

When it comes to gettin' paid, location matters. Most online resources tell you the highest paying trades based on national averages - they don't take state-level differences into account. Below are some of the best (and worst!) paying trade jobs based on state.

We've compiled data from the US Department of Labor to show you where your pay ranks in the US and how it compares with surrounding states. Data is from 2020 and will be updated in Spring of 2022. Does not include data from people that are self-employed! OR the pay of owners of small businesses! Employees only.

Things are a little clunky right now, but we're updating how this works AND adding more data to compare trades to each other.

The Trade and State Combos with:

The Trade and State Combos with the Highest Average Salaries

Where you live is important to how much you get paid.

These are average salaries for the trades in the given states. People that work in these states in the given trades will have some of the highest salaries out of all skilled trades workers.

Trades and States with Highest Average Annual Salary
Rank Salary Area/Job
#1 $111,040 Hawaii Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
#2 $109,420 New York Pile Driver Operators
#3 $109,220 Massachusetts Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#4 $108,050 North Dakota Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
#5 $106,400 Illinois Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
#6 $103,430 Oregon Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
#7 $101,160 Washington Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#8 $100,740 Illinois Pile Driver Operators
#9 $99,040 Oregon Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
#10 $98,380 Minnesota Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
#11 $97,620 California Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#12 $97,420 Washington Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
#13 $96,980 Oregon Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#14 $96,780 Hawaii Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
#15 $96,040 California Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
#16 $96,040 Illinois Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#17 $95,970 Connecticut Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
#18 $95,920 Washington, D.C. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
#19 $95,740 Washington Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
#20 $95,480 California Pile Driver Operators

If you move to a state with a higher average pay than your state, you're likely to make more money.

The Trade and State Combos with the Lowest Average Salaries

Where you live is important to how much you get paid.

These are average salaries for the trades in the given states. People that work in these states in the given trades will have some of the lowest salaries out of all skilled trades workers.

Trades and States with Lowest Average Annual Salary
Rank Salary Area/Job
#1 $23,760 Montana Carpet Installers
#2 $23,900 West Virginia Helpers--Roofers
#3 $23,940 South Carolina Helpers--Roofers
#4 $25,610 West Virginia Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
#5 $25,610 Kansas Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other
#6 $25,630 Louisiana Tire Repairers and Changers
#7 $25,660 Iowa Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other
#8 $25,920 Alabama Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
#9 $26,080 Delaware Tire Repairers and Changers
#10 $26,090 Tennessee Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
#11 $26,490 South Dakota Helpers--Carpenters
#12 $27,050 Mississippi Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
#13 $27,130 North Carolina Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
#14 $27,430 Arkansas Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
#15 $27,430 Mississippi Stonemasons
#16 $27,550 Delaware Helpers--Carpenters
#17 $27,760 North Carolina Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other
#18 $27,780 Tennessee Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
#19 $27,820 Alabama Tire Repairers and Changers
#20 $27,850 Tennessee Helpers--Roofers

If you move to a state with a lower average pay than your state, you're likely to make less money.

The Trade and State Combos with the Highest 90th Percentile Salaries

If you work in one of these states, in one of these trades, you have the potential to make some of the highest salaries in the skilled trades. These trade/state combos might be high paying because:

  • They require specialized training within a trade.
  • There aren't enough skilled trade workers in that area.
  • The location has a particular demand for that trade.
  • The cost of living helps to drive up salaries.
Trades and States with the Top 90th Percentile Salaries
Rank Salary Area/Job
#1 $196,430 North Dakota Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
#2 $166,250 Alaska Sheet Metal Workers
#3 $154,760 New York Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
#4 $152,670 Minnesota Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians
#5 $152,140 California Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#6 $150,460 Washington, D.C. Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers
#7 $149,340 Alaska Insulation Workers, Mechanical
#8 $141,010 Utah Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers
#9 $140,070 New Jersey Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#10 $138,500 Washington, D.C. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
#11 $138,490 New York First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
#12 $138,380 California Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
#13 $137,910 New York Insulation Workers, Mechanical
#14 $137,190 Massachusetts Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#15 $135,910 Illinois Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
#16 $135,120 North Dakota First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
#17 $134,930 Wisconsin Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#18 $134,890 Illinois Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
#19 $134,570 New Jersey First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
#20 $133,840 Washington Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment

Protip: If you want to be earning more within a particular trade, you need to level up your skills, become a supervisor, or move into a branch of your trade that pays better, or move to a better paying area.

The Trade and State Combos with the Lowest 10th Percentile Salaries

If you work in one of these states, in one of these trades, and you're making one of these salaries, your pay is one of the lowest in the skilled trades. This could be because:

  • You live in an extremely low-cost-of-living area.
  • You are in an entry level postion.
  • You don't get paid well.
Trades and States with the Lowest 10th Percentile Salaries
Rank Salary Area/Job
#1 $16,510 Kentucky Carpet Installers
#2 $16,610 Wyoming Carpet Installers
#3 $16,680 South Carolina Helpers--Roofers
#4 $16,760 New Hampshire Helpers--Carpenters
#5 $16,810 North Carolina Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
#6 $16,850 Iowa Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other
#7 $16,900 Louisiana Stonemasons
#8 $16,940 Mississippi Stonemasons
#9 $16,940 Kansas Fence Erectors
#10 $16,950 Wisconsin Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles
#11 $16,960 Alabama Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
#12 $16,990 Tennessee Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
#13 $16,990 Tennessee Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
#14 $17,280 Nevada Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
#15 $17,300 North Carolina Tree Trimmers and Pruners
#16 $17,310 Mississippi Fence Erectors
#17 $17,360 South Carolina Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
#18 $17,400 North Dakota Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
#19 $17,410 Tennessee Grounds Maintenance Workers, All Other
#20 $17,430 Louisiana Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers

Protip: Consider switching to a higher paid trade if you show up here.

Skilled Trade Salaries by Trade and State

Updated: February 1, 2022

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