Occupations
60
tracked in this field
Average Median
$58,200
across the field
Highest Paying
$109,910
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Entry Point
$40,470
Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
All Construction & Trades salaries, ranked
Sorted by median annual pay in official BLS estimates. Click any job for its full salary report, including pay by state.
| Occupation | Median salary | Hourly | Typical education | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $109,910 | $52.84 | High school diploma or equivalent | 24,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,920 | $38.42 | High school diploma or equivalent | 812,000 |
| Roof Bolter, Mining | $78,540 | $37.76 | High school diploma or equivalent | 2,000 |
| Boilermaker | $76,410 | $36.74 | High school diploma or equivalent | 10,000 |
| Terrazzo Workers and Finishers | $76,170 | $36.62 | High school diploma or equivalent | 1,000 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $74,690 | $35.91 | High school diploma or equivalent | 147,000 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,500 | $35.82 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6,000 |
| Pile Driver Operator | $73,300 | $35.24 | High school diploma or equivalent | 2,000 |
| Underground Mining Machine Operator, All Other | $70,130 | $33.72 | High school diploma or equivalent | 3,000 |
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $70,070 | $33.69 | High school diploma or equivalent | 20,000 |
| Taper | $68,270 | $32.82 | High school diploma or equivalent | 13,000 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $67,890 | $32.64 | High school diploma or equivalent | 13,000 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $63,800 | $30.67 | High school diploma or equivalent | 466,000 |
| Electrician | $63,190 | $30.38 | High school diploma or equivalent | 757,000 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $62,780 | $30.18 | High school diploma or equivalent | 68,000 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $62,120 | $29.87 | High school diploma or equivalent | 53,000 |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operator | $61,810 | $29.72 | High school diploma or equivalent | 14,000 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 | $29.71 | High school diploma or equivalent | 120,000 |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | $61,390 | $29.51 | High school diploma or equivalent | 5,000 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 | $29.13 | High school diploma or equivalent | 670,000 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $60,190 | $28.94 | High school diploma or equivalent | 19,000 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $59,850 | $28.77 | High school diploma or equivalent | 478,000 |
| Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers | $58,970 | $28.35 | High school diploma or equivalent | 14,000 |
| Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | $58,930 | $28.33 | High school diploma or equivalent | 83,000 |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,620 | $28.18 | High school diploma or equivalent | 11,000 |
| Insulation Worker, Mechanical | $58,340 | $28.05 | High school diploma or equivalent | 26,000 |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,160 | $27.96 | High school diploma or equivalent | 43,000 |
| Plasterers and Stucco Masons | $57,660 | $27.72 | High school diploma or equivalent | 19,000 |
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | $57,430 | $27.61 | High school diploma or equivalent | 34,000 |
| Stonemason | $57,390 | $27.59 | High school diploma or equivalent | 8,000 |
| Glazier | $57,080 | $27.44 | High school diploma or equivalent | 58,000 |
| Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $57,020 | $27.41 | High school diploma or equivalent | 206,000 |
| Extraction Worker, All Other | $57,010 | $27.41 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6,000 |
| Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles | $56,460 | $27.14 | High school diploma or equivalent | 24,000 |
| Tile and Stone Setters | $55,690 | $26.77 | High school diploma or equivalent | 36,000 |
| Roofer | $55,440 | $26.65 | High school diploma or equivalent | 135,000 |
| Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | $53,340 | $25.64 | High school diploma or equivalent | 42,000 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installer | $53,140 | $25.55 | High school diploma or equivalent | 31,000 |
| Paperhanger | $52,140 | $25.07 | High school diploma or equivalent | 2,000 |
| Floor Sanders and Finishers | $50,440 | $24.25 | High school diploma or equivalent | 4,000 |
| Carpet Installer | $50,340 | $24.20 | High school diploma or equivalent | 14,000 |
| Highway Maintenance Worker | $50,260 | $24.16 | High school diploma or equivalent | 155,000 |
| Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers | $49,910 | $24.00 | High school diploma or equivalent | 28,000 |
| Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | $49,880 | $23.98 | High school diploma or equivalent | 31,000 |
| Hazardous Material Removal Workers | $49,450 | $23.77 | High school diploma or equivalent | 52,000 |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | $49,400 | $23.75 | High school diploma or equivalent | 225,000 |
| Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | $49,120 | $23.62 | High school diploma or equivalent | 44,000 |
| Pipelayer | $49,000 | $23.56 | High school diploma or equivalent | 33,000 |
| Rock Splitter, Quarry | $48,740 | $23.43 | High school diploma or equivalent | 3,000 |
| Fence Erector | $47,980 | $23.07 | High school diploma or equivalent | 24,000 |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | $47,730 | $22.95 | High school diploma or equivalent | 7,000 |
| Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters | $47,550 | $22.86 | High school diploma or equivalent | 14,000 |
| Construction Laborer | $47,120 | $22.65 | High school diploma or equivalent | 1,097,000 |
| Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | $46,960 | $22.58 | High school diploma or equivalent | 45,000 |
| Helpers--Roofers | $44,160 | $21.23 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6,000 |
| Helpers--Carpenters | $43,780 | $21.05 | High school diploma or equivalent | 22,000 |
| Helpers--Electricians | $42,670 | $20.51 | High school diploma or equivalent | 64,000 |
| Helper, Construction Trades, All Other | $42,670 | $20.51 | High school diploma or equivalent | 25,000 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $42,360 | $20.37 | High school diploma or equivalent | 44,000 |
| Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | $40,470 | $19.46 | High school diploma or equivalent | 7,000 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average Construction & Trades salary?
Across the 60 construction & trades occupations tracked in BLS data, the average median salary is $58,200 per year. Individual roles range from $40,470 to $109,910.
What is the highest-paying Construction & Trades job?
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers is the highest-paying construction & trades occupation in official BLS estimates, with a median salary of $109,910 per year.
What education do Construction & Trades jobs require?
It varies by role — the table above shows the typical entry-level education for each occupation, sourced from O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Many specialist roles need a degree, while support and trainee roles often need a certificate or less.
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