In 2026, demand for skilled trade workers remains strong across the U.S., driven by ongoing infrastructure projects, renewable energy growth, and steady residential and commercial construction. And the shortage of skilled workers continues to push wages higher and create new opportunities in the trades.
With many professions paying well above $50,000 per year, what makes these careers even more attractive is that most don’t require a four-year degree.
Instead, workers can enter the field through apprenticeships and hands-on training, which means you can start your careers faster and with less student debt than traditional paths.
This list highlights 11 skilled trade jobs paying more than $50,000 in 2026. For each trade, you’ll find salary details, areas of specialization, education and training requirements, and projected job growth from 2024 to 2034.
» TRENDING: The procedures for obtaining a license to do HVAC, electrical or plumbing work can vary widely depending on location. Our state-by-state look at the requirementshelps demystify the process.
Which Skilled Trade Pays the Most?
Some trades pay significantly higher than others, offering strong earning potential alongside steady demand.
Below is a table comparing some of the best-paying skilled trade jobs in terms of average annual salary, job growth rate, and required training and education.
1. Sheet metal workers
Median annual wage: $58,780 per year
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 2%
Sheet metal workers fabricate, install, and maintain thin steel, aluminum, and alloyed metal sheets. Most commonly, sheet metal workers can be found in manufacturing, infrastructure, and construction fields. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ducts, home exterior siding, metal lagging of mechanical systems, and outdoor signage are just a few types of jobs sheet metal workers tackle.
There are several specializations in sheet metal work. Those workers in fabrication, also known as precision sheet metal workers, make parts for various industries. This often finds them using computer-aided drafting and design systems, lasers, and automated machinery.
Contributing to the forecasted 3.6 percent rise in sheet metal worker jobs through 2030 are changes in the housing market and U.S. investments in infrastructure. Additionally, new energy-efficient equipment coming to market will lead to increased demand for installation work. However, new technologies, such as those creating prefabricated duct systems in residential construction, could hinder the forecast numbers from rising higher.
Keep your construction jobs productive and profitable with ServiceTitan’s Construction Management software for subcontractors.
2. Structural iron and steel workers
Median annual wage: $69,700
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 4%
Ironworkers are involved in the construction, rehabilitation, reinforcement, and even demolition of bridges, roads, and buildings.
Structural iron and steel workers erect structural frameworks using levels, lasers, tag lines, and plumb bobs, then join them with bolts, wires, and welding. Ironworkers assemble the cranes and derricks used on these building sites, too.
With the U.S. focusing on infrastructure improvements to structures such as old bridges and highways, ironworkers are set to see a six percent increase in demand between now and 2030.
A surge in job growth was first noticed during recovery from the COVID-19 recession in 2020. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently planning water infrastructure efforts using State Revolving Funds, which will call for ironworkers.
3. Brickmasons and blockmasons
Median annual wage: $56,600
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 2%
Masonry workers, or masons, use brick, stone, and concrete in the construction of everything from buildings and dams to walkways and roads.
The expertise required is often based on the materials used. Brickmasons, also known as bricklayers or block masons, use materials such as brick, terracotta, and concrete blocks to construct and repair structures. Refractory masons specializing in high-temperature work, such as with furnaces, fireplaces, and industrial sites, also fall under this category.
Taking on detailed work are cement masons and concrete finishers who prevent defects in sidewalks, walls, columns, and other structural components made from concrete.
Granite, marble, and limestone are various types of stone materials that fall under the expertise of stonemasons, who use them when building structures and other surfaces. Floors, walkways, and patios are also created by terrazzo workers and finishers, also known as terrazzo masons. There is some crossover in their skills with those of cement masons.
4. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Median annual wage: $62,970
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–30): 4%
Though they may use different approaches or techniques, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters all install, inspect, test, repair, and maintain pipelines, piping systems, and fixtures used to convey water, gas, and other substances.
Depending on the materials they use, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters may specialize in either residential projects (using materials such as copper, steel, and plastic) or industrial projects (using large steel pipe materials).
Plumbers, who are considered journey- or master-level depending on their training and experience, fall into the residential category and primarily deal with water, gas, and piping systems for homes and businesses. Pipefitters and steamfitters (also known as fitters) specialize in systems found in industrial, manufacturing, and commercial industries, which may contain chemicals, acids, and gases.
The projected four percent growth in employment for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is based on the 2020 recovery from the COVID-19 recession, which brought an influx of new construction. There is also an increased call for sprinkler fitters as states update building codes for fire suppression systems.
Keep your plumbing business flowing smoothly with the world’s leading all-in-one plumbing software. You can learn more specifically about plumbers’ salaries in our designated guide.
5. Electricians
Median annual wage: $62,350
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 9%
When considering an electrician's duties, the mind generally focuses on the installation, maintenance, and repair of equipment and control systems, specifically those related to electrical power, communications, lighting, and wiring found in homes, businesses, and factories.
Many electricians, however, begin their work before installation takes place. Experienced electricians are often called upon to join a team of architects and engineers when designing a new electrical system. Another area of expertise is evident in the work of lineman electricians, who install distribution and transmission lines.
What's on the horizon for electricians? Currently, there are projections for 84,000 job openings per year. As the U.S. government explores alternative sources of power, the field is expected to continue expanding, as electricians will be required to connect solar and wind generators to power grids and homes.
In 2022, the government's passage of the Inflation Reduction Act was applauded by the National Electrical Contractors Association, which pointed to the $369 billion investment in domestic energy production and manufacturing that "will provide NECA contractors with new opportunities to modernize our energy portfolio and create good-paying jobs across America."
Boost sales and efficiency with electrical contractor software from ServiceTitan.
6. Tapers
Median annual wage: $59,641
Typical education needed for entry: No formal educational credential
Typical on-the-job training needed: Medium-term on-the-job training
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 4%
Tapers, or finishers, prep wallboard for paint or wallpaper. They also repair damaged wallboards. Often, tapers work in conjunction with drywall and ceiling tile installers. Drywall installers, known as drywallers or hangers, cut and hang wallboard. Ceiling tile installers, or acoustical carpenters, install tiles on ceilings to block sound. Many tapers perform all three skills on their own.
Future employment growth for drywall and ceiling tile installers is projected to remain steady, whereas that for tapers is expected to decline due to the introduction of new tools to the market.
7. Construction and building inspectors
Median annual wage: $72,120
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Medium-term on-the-job training
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): -1%
Before work at a site even begins, construction and building inspectors enter the scene to review plans. Their presence continues as construction progresses, whether it involves a home, building, highway, dam, or bridge. They ensure everything is compliant with the latest building codes, zoning regulations, and any other ordinances.
Many inspectors specialize in certain areas. Architectural requirements and structural quality fall under the purview of building inspectors. Fire inspectors make sure buildings meet fire codes. Coating inspectors keep an eye on the proper application of protective layers of exterior paint and coatings used on everything from bridges to pipelines. Others specialize in electrical systems, elevators, residences, mechanical systems, plumbing, public works, and construction.
So why will there be a decreased demand of minus one percent for inspectors in the future? The government's use of remote inspections.
8. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
Median annual wage: $67,330
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Medium-term on-the-job training
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 5.1%
This profession has many titles ranging from machine operator and track inspector to track walker and, simply, trackman. Also falling under this category are ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.
These workers lay, repair, and maintain tracks for railroad service, whether in commuter service, plant yards, quarries, mines, or pits for sand and gravel.
As of 2020, 15,700 workers held these positions. New jobs expected between now and 2030 total around 800.
9. Boilermakers
Median annual wage: $73,340
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): -2%
Boilermakers specialize in keeping boilers, tanks, and vats that hold chemicals in efficient—and safe—working condition. This equipment is typically found in buildings, factories, and ships, and boilermakers must conduct tests and inspections to ensure the safety of workers and the environment.
It’s critical to assemble and maintain this machinery against defects because it’s often used to heat liquids or gases under extreme pressure. A boilermaker could be called upon to repair blast furnaces, inspect water treatment plants, or install heat-resistant materials in high-pressure tanks.
Boilers are generally built to have long lifespans, but boilermakers are often called on for repairs. So, why is there a projected two percent decline for the profession? The U.S. is shifting to renewable energy, much of which does not require boilers.
Drive more sales with ServiceTitan’s efficient HVAC software, the world’s leading all-in-one software for commercial and residential HVAC businesses.
10. Pile driver operators
Median annual wage: $60,000
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Medium-term on-the-job training
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 7.7%
Working with heavy-duty pieces of equipment, pile drivers hammer steel, concrete, and wood pilings into the ground, or in some cases, underwater, most often during the early stages of construction of retaining walls, bulkheads, and the foundations of structures. Workers operating pile drivers may be found on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes.
United Brotherhood of Carpenters pile drivers possess expertise vital for working with marine construction and offshore wind projects, which are of significant scope. A job requirement that may come into play is commercial diving.
Looking to break into pile driving? One place to start is by looking at the states with the highest employment of pile drivers: California, Washington, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Explore industries that regularly hire pile drivers for projects such as mining, highway, street, or bridge construction, and nonresidential building construction.
11. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
Median annual wage: $106,580
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Typical on-the-job training needed: Apprenticeship
Projected employment change (from 2024–34): 5%
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers, also referred to as elevator and escalator constructors or mechanics, install, maintain, repair, modernize, and replace equipment such as elevators, escalators, chairlifts, and moving walkways. Working with electronics, electricity, and hydraulics is required for most of these positions.
The employment outlook for elevator and escalator mechanics is forecasted to grow in tandem with the increasing development of nonresidential buildings. The typical lifespan of an elevator is 25 years. This means buildings with older equipment will need to be repaired, maintained, and equipment replaced to meet the Americans with Disability Act requirements.
What Factors Affect Skilled Trade Salaries?
Not all skilled jobs pay the same salary. Different factors determine a tradesperson’s salary, including location, experience, certifications or licences, and union membership:
Regional differences: Regions with high costs of living usually pay workers higher wages to help them meet their everyday expenses. Aside from the cost of living, supply and demand also affect workers' salaries. Areas experiencing labor shortages generally pay higher to attract and retain professionals.
Experience level: Workers with more experience, especially those with specialized expertise, usually command premium salaries compared to entry and mid-level workers.
Certification and licensing: Specialized certifications make workers more valuable to both employers and clients. Trade workers take formal exams to gain these licenses, and this makes them higher-paid and more sought-after compared to unlicensed workers.
Union membership: Union workers generally receive higher pay compared to non-union workers. Unions also play a crucial role in securing fair overtime pay and structured shifts, ensuring that workers are compensated more effectively for their work.
What Benefits Do Skilled Trade Jobs Offer Besides Salary?
While a good paycheck is a major advantage, skilled trade careers offer numerous other benefits. This includes job security, opportunities for advancement, stability, and growth, which are more prevalent in this role compared to most office jobs:
Job security and high demand: Skilled trades are essential to every industry. Therefore, individuals with trade skills are always in high demand, as essential roles such as electricians, HVAC technicians, and plumbers are less likely to be automated. And this demand ensures constant opportunities for work, even during economic downturns.
Career advancement and growth opportunities: Workers in the trade industry can advance from apprenticeships to professional roles in various trade fields. Additionally, they can transition into supervisory, managerial, or business ownership roles. Tradespersons can also choose to specialize in high-demand areas with rapid career growth.
Health benefits: Tradespersons are more active compared to office jobs. They primarily engage in daily physical exercises and are still compensated for it. Additionally, working in trade environments also presents mental challenges that require workers to constantly exercise their mental capabilities, just as they stay physically active.
Flexibility: Some trades allow workers to become independent contractors or start their own businesses. Workers can also choose to opt for seasonal or project-based jobs, offering more work flexibility.
Which Skilled Trades Are in the Highest Demand?
Here’s a list of the top-skilled trades that are always in high demand:
Electricians: Electricians will always be needed to wire homes and businesses. The demand is even higher now that solar and wind power are becoming increasingly common.
Plumbers: Plumbers are always in high demand as they maintain water, gas, and piping systems in homes and businesses.
Elevator and escalator installers: As cities grow and older equipment needs upgrades, demand for these installers continues to increase.
Pile-driver operators: Pile drivers are always in demand as they use heavy machines to lay deep foundations for the likes of ports, wind farms, and bridges.
Structural iron and steel workers: Iron and steel workers put up frames for bridges, buildings, and highways. These workers are always in demand due to the new infrastructure projects across the U.S.
How Do You Increase Your Salary in a Skilled Trade?
Skilled trades mostly offer competitive pay, but you can choose to increase your income from entry-level rates with the right strategies. Below are a few ways to steadily increase your earnings over time:
Gain More Experience
Gaining more experience is a no-brainer if you plan to increase your income as a tradesperson. The industry often follows a clear progression:
Apprentice
Journeyman
Skilled/master
Each stage comes with a different salary plan. When you've spent more years on the job, employers begin to trust you with complex projects that come with higher compensation. Experienced tradespeople are also more likely to get overtime or leadership positions, which further adds to their overall earnings. So, the longer you work in your trade and refine your skills, the more valuable you become.
Earn Certifications and Licenses
Certifications and licenses showcase your expertise and increase your chances of earning higher salaries.
Specialized credentials in areas like electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, or welding can make a significant difference in pay rates. Employers value these qualifications because they prove your expertise and reduce the need for extensive training on the job.
Also, safety and compliance certifications, such as OSHA training, increase your ability to earn more.
Specialize in High-Demand Areas
Specialization can be a game-changer when it comes to increasing your salary.
Certain niches in the trades, such as solar panel installation, industrial electrical work, underwater welding, or CNC machining, command premium pay due to the complexity of the work and the limited number of experts in those fields.
Emerging industries like renewable energy and advanced manufacturing also create opportunities for higher earnings, as demand often outpaces the supply of skilled workers.
Positioning yourself in a high-demand specialty increases your income potential and makes you harder to replace, giving you stronger leverage during pay negotiations.
Join a Union
Union membership helps tradesmen negotiate for higher wages and stronger benefits.
Unions use collective bargaining to ensure that members receive fair base pay, structured raises, and overtime protections, advantages that are not always available in non-union workplaces.
Additionally, unions also negotiate comprehensive benefits packages that include healthcare, pensions, and workplace safety measures.
Take advantage of overtime and shift work
You can earn more money at your job and boost your yearly income by working extra hours. Similarly, you can choose to work during less desirable shifts (like night, weekends, or holidays) as some companies pay extra if you work shifts that are harder to fill.
While the hours can be demanding, accepting overtime or not-so-pleasant shifts can make a noticeable difference in yearly earnings.
How ServiceTitan Helps Skilled Trade Businesses Unlock Higher Earnings
In addition to the strategies we've shared to help increase your chances of earning higher salaries, you could adopt a software solution to improve your trade business and increase your revenue.
Understanding how money flows in and out of your field service business is key to success. There are tools that help not only drive more sales, but to spot critical trends, better manage recurring services, and supercharge your ROI.
ServiceTitan is a software platform that's designed to help skilled trade businesses (like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services) increase earnings for both the company and its workers.
For starters, ServiceTitan helps businesses reduce inefficiencies that cost money.
The platform provides smart job scheduling and automated dispatching to ensure jobs are assigned to the right technicians, without you having to hop between multiple calendars and clipboards.
So, instead of spending hours thinking about who to send to a specific job, the platform’s AI algorithm does it for you, considering the technician’s previous performance, proximity to the job site, and skills.
Additionally, ServiceTitan enables business owners to see how well their teams are performing in real time. Trade business owners can track metrics like how many jobs get completed, how often employees successfully upsell services, and customer satisfaction levels.
With this, managers can easily identify top performers and reward them with higher pay, bonuses, or promotions.
On top of that, ServiceTitan provides detailed reports that show which services are most profitable or unprofitable and how pricing can be improved. That way, businesses can increase profitability and can afford to efficiently compensate and offer premium benefits to workers.
Last but not least, the ServiceTitan Field Service Management Software can help you improve your customer service by tracking and recording customer calls, coordinating job scheduling and tech dispatching, and empowering your team to increase sales with easy-to-use estimating and invoicing templates.
Looking to manage your entire business operations in a single place? Book a demo and one of our designated reps will reach out to you for a personalized walkthrough of ServiceTitan.
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country and has increased their revenue by an average of 25 percent in just their first year with us.
ServiceTitan Software
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year with us.
