Skilled Trade Salary Rankings — 2026

Compare the highest paying cities for 15 skilled trades across 100 US metro areas. Updated August 2026.

Methodology: Wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release data vintage (survey reference period May 2025), mapped from the SOC construction, extraction, and installation occupation groups to the trade titles used on this site. Values are measured survey estimates for the metropolitan metropolitan statistical area (MSA) — not modeled or interpolated. Year-over-year comparisons use the May 2024 OEWS release. The year shown in page titles is the publication and update year, not the data vintage.

Rankings by Trade

• Highest paying cities for Carpenters
• Highest paying cities for Construction Managers
• Highest paying cities for Electricians
• Highest paying cities for Glaziers
• Highest paying cities for HVAC Technicians
• Highest paying cities for Heavy Equipment Operators
• Highest paying cities for Insulation Workers
• Highest paying cities for Ironworkers
• Highest paying cities for Masons
• Highest paying cities for Painters
• Highest paying cities for Pipefitters
• Highest paying cities for Plumbers
• Highest paying cities for Roofers
• Highest paying cities for Sheet Metal Workers
• Highest paying cities for Welders

All Trade Salary Pages

• Carpenter salary by city
• Construction Manager salary by city
• Electrician salary by city
• Glazier salary by city
• HVAC Technician salary by city
• Heavy Equipment Operator salary by city
• Insulation Worker salary by city
• Ironworker salary by city
• Mason salary by city
• Painter salary by city
• Pipefitter salary by city
• Plumber salary by city
• Roofer salary by city
• Sheet Metal Worker salary by city
• Welder salary by city