Skilled trades
The highest-paying skilled trades
106 careers. Construction, extraction, installation, maintenance, and repair careers that don't typically require a bachelor's degree, ranked by median yearly pay.
| Career | Median yearly payAll workers · May 2025 | Top 10% earn overMay 2025 | Projected growth2025–35 | Openings per yearprojected, 2025–35 | Typical education to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 | $158,890 | +5.7% | 1,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay | $103,020 | $129,920 | +9.7% | 1,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $95,320 | $128,690 | +10.3% | 10,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Signal and track switch repairers | $92,460 | $119,550 | +1.8% | 800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment | $84,890 | $116,810 | +5.4% | 500 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Avionics technicians | $82,280 | $113,680 | +9.4% | 1,700 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers | $79,920 | $128,260 | +5.0% | 67,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | $79,870 | $128,890 | +5.4% | 11,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers | $79,860 | $126,790 | +4.1% | 48,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Roof bolters, mining | $78,540 | $92,830 | -18.9% | 100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Boilermakers | $76,410 | $110,370 | -1.8% | 700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Terrazzo workers and finishers | $76,170 | $126,130 | -13.0% | 100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Construction and building inspectors | $74,690 | $114,200 | +0.0% | 14,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining | $74,500 | $87,730 | -15.8% | 400 | No formal educational credential |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door | $74,340 | $112,500 | +4.3% | 3,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers | $74,330 | $103,680 | -3.4% | 8,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment | $74,090 | $105,590 | +0.3% | 4,700 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Pile driver operators | $73,300 | $124,600 | -5.7% | 200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Commercial divers | $72,990 | $157,790 | +4.8% | 400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators | $70,070 | $87,420 | +1.5% | 1,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tapers | $68,270 | $107,110 | -1.6% | 900 | No formal educational credential |
| Rotary drill operators, oil and gas | $67,890 | $101,860 | +0.8% | 1,100 | No formal educational credential |
| Rail car repairers | $67,530 | $95,100 | +2.6% | 1,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Watch and clock repairers | $67,230 | $109,990 | -0.3% | 100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Millwrights | $65,700 | $93,600 | +0.9% | 3,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines | $65,510 | $94,460 | +6.7% | 15,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Industrial machinery mechanics | $64,520 | $95,170 | +17.8% | 44,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Wind turbine service technicians | $64,120 | $92,460 | +29.5% | 1,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers | $63,890 | $96,730 | -3.3% | 11,300 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters | $63,800 | $108,420 | +6.8% | 42,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers | $63,520 | $103,990 | +1.2% | 1,000 | Associate's degree |
| Electricians | $63,190 | $108,510 | +9.2% | 72,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Structural iron and steel workers | $62,780 | $108,260 | +3.1% | 5,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Riggers | $62,640 | $97,850 | +3.9% | 1,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons | $62,120 | $100,010 | +1.1% | 4,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Continuous mining machine operators | $61,810 | $86,210 | +3.2% | 1,400 | No formal educational credential |
| Sheet metal workers | $61,800 | $105,650 | +2.5% | 9,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists | $61,770 | $88,740 | +3.6% | 24,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Medical equipment repairers | $61,660 | $98,280 | +12.6% | 8,200 | Associate's degree |
| Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters | $61,390 | $99,360 | +0.0% | 400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Refractory materials repairers, except brickmasons | $61,290 | $86,510 | -13.7% | 100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $61,010 | $95,210 | +10.9% | 40,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Maintenance workers, machinery | $60,850 | $88,550 | -1.9% | 4,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Carpenters | $60,580 | $99,910 | +3.9% | 62,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Earth drillers, except oil and gas | $60,190 | $83,800 | +3.6% | 1,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers | $60,070 | $81,150 | +6.8% | 8,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators | $59,850 | $101,090 | +4.6% | 39,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Reinforcing iron and rebar workers | $58,970 | $104,540 | -5.3% | 1,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers | $58,930 | $102,010 | +2.5% | 6,600 | No formal educational credential |
| Derrick operators, oil and gas | $58,620 | $81,800 | +1.6% | 900 | No formal educational credential |
| Insulation workers, mechanical | $58,340 | $100,220 | +5.1% | 1,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Service unit operators, oil and gas | $58,160 | $97,560 | +1.1% | 3,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Plasterers and stucco masons | $57,660 | $96,710 | +2.8% | 1,500 | No formal educational credential |
| Motorboat mechanics and service technicians | $57,550 | $79,330 | +4.9% | 2,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining | $57,430 | $82,400 | +1.0% | 2,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Stonemasons | $57,390 | $86,180 | -5.4% | 500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Glaziers | $57,080 | $89,790 | +1.9% | 3,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers | $57,020 | $85,480 | +1.6% | 13,600 | No formal educational credential |
| Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians | $56,550 | $78,740 | +10.7% | 3,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles | $56,460 | $96,700 | +9.0% | 2,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers | $56,210 | $85,200 | +4.4% | 1,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Mechanical door repairers | $55,720 | $78,260 | +6.4% | 2,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tile and stone setters | $55,690 | $86,110 | +9.8% | 3,300 | No formal educational credential |
| Roofers | $55,440 | $81,720 | +5.3% | 12,000 | No formal educational credential |
| Automotive body and related repairers | $54,890 | $87,940 | +3.7% | 12,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators | $53,340 | $92,230 | -0.9% | 3,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Solar photovoltaic installers | $53,140 | $79,970 | +36.5% | 4,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Camera and photographic equipment repairers | $52,720 | $83,940 | -15.5% | 100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Audiovisual equipment installers and repairers | $52,600 | $84,190 | +4.8% | 2,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Paperhangers | $52,140 | $69,050 | +4.3% | 200 | No formal educational credential |
| Recreational vehicle service technicians | $52,000 | $77,960 | +9.7% | 2,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Locksmiths and safe repairers | $51,320 | $79,400 | -11.7% | 1,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Home appliance repairers | $50,990 | $80,660 | +1.9% | 2,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | $50,620 | $81,790 | +5.0% | 66,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Floor sanders and finishers | $50,440 | $70,340 | +1.4% | 300 | No formal educational credential |
| Carpet installers | $50,340 | $82,140 | -16.4% | 700 | No formal educational credential |
| Highway maintenance workers | $50,260 | $71,970 | +3.4% | 11,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Miscellaneous construction and related workers | $49,910 | $78,700 | +3.9% | 2,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners | $49,880 | $73,490 | +7.8% | 2,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general | $49,590 | $77,180 | +4.2% | 148,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Hazardous materials removal workers | $49,450 | $82,410 | +1.5% | 4,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Painters, construction and maintenance | $49,400 | $78,810 | +3.0% | 24,900 | No formal educational credential |
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall | $49,120 | $78,190 | +2.4% | 3,000 | No formal educational credential |
| Pipelayers | $49,000 | $80,170 | -3.1% | 2,100 | No formal educational credential |
| Rock splitters, quarry | $48,740 | $67,710 | +5.8% | 400 | No formal educational credential |
| Motorcycle mechanics | $48,580 | $74,400 | +2.1% | 1,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles | $48,420 | $70,170 | -14.5% | 400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Fence erectors | $47,980 | $70,010 | +5.6% | 2,500 | No formal educational credential |
| Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics | $47,880 | $67,260 | +2.3% | 3,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers | $47,810 | $71,730 | -3.0% | 6,100 | Some college, no degree |
| Helpers--extraction workers | $47,730 | $68,020 | +1.7% | 700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Automotive glass installers and repairers | $47,630 | $70,650 | +5.7% | 1,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters | $47,550 | $70,080 | -11.7% | 1,100 | No formal educational credential |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | $47,450 | $66,370 | -3.4% | 3,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Construction laborers | $47,120 | $78,090 | +7.3% | 120,000 | No formal educational credential |
| Roustabouts, oil and gas | $46,960 | $64,530 | +3.6% | 4,100 | No formal educational credential |
| Musical instrument repairers and tuners | $46,420 | $71,600 | +1.9% | 600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Manufactured building and mobile home installers | $45,990 | $60,810 | +5.8% | 300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Helpers--roofers | $44,160 | $62,400 | -0.1% | 600 | No formal educational credential |
| Helpers--carpenters | $43,780 | $57,670 | -1.7% | 2,000 | No formal educational credential |
| Bicycle repairers | $42,780 | $55,000 | -5.7% | 1,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Helpers--electricians | $42,670 | $58,340 | +0.6% | 6,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters | $42,360 | $57,780 | +2.4% | 4,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons | $40,470 | $52,000 | +1.5% | 700 | No formal educational credential |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers | $39,630 | $55,890 | +5.3% | 13,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tire repairers and changers | $37,710 | $50,230 | +3.4% | 12,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
These are national figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: medians, not promises, and pay varies a lot by place and experience. Projections are forecasts. Open any career to see the full pay range and where the jobs are.