---
title: "Highest-Paying Trades, Ranked by BLS Median Pay"
description: "Construction, repair and installation trades ranked by May 2025 median pay, with how you get in and the projected growth through 2035."
url: https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/highest-paying-trades/
updated: 2026-10-09
site: CareerDirecting
---

Lists · Trades by pay

# Highest-paying trades Hands-on work, ranked by the paycheck.

Construction, repair, installation

Trades have a reputation for good money, and the data mostly backs it up. Here is every construction, installation and repair trade in the federal projections that you can enter without a bachelor's degree, ranked by what the middle worker earns.

In short

The highest-paying trades in the May 2025 BLS data include elevator and escalator installers, powerhouse and substation repairers, and electrical power line installers. Electricians earn a median of $63,190 and plumbers $63,800. Most top trades are learned through an apprenticeship that pays you while you train, which takes several years.

**Job numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics** Updated October 9, 2026. Pay figures are national medians and are not a promise of what you will earn.

**On this page**

1. [ The ranking](#s-the-ranking)
2. [Why apprenticeships dominate the top](#s-why-apprenticeships-dominate-the-top)
3. [Overtime changes the picture](#s-overtime-changes-the-picture)
4. [Questions people ask](#s-faq)

## The ranking

Sort by

Trades ranked by median pay

| # | Job | Median pay | Typical way in | Growth 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator and escalator installers and repairers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/elevator-installers-and-repairers.htm) | $109,910 | High school or GED | 5.7% | 1,900 |
| 2 | Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/electrical-and-electronics-installers-and-repairers.htm) | $103,020 | Certificate | 9.7% | 1,800 |
| 3 | Electrical power-line installers and repairers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/line-installers-and-repairers.htm) | $95,320 | High school or GED | 10.3% | 10,900 |
| 4 | Signal and track switch repairers | $92,460 | High school or GED | 1.8% | 800 |
| 5 | Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/electrical-and-electronics-installers-and-repairers.htm) | $84,890 | Certificate | 5.4% | 500 |
| 6 | Avionics technicians [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm) | $82,280 | Certificate | 9.4% | 1,700 |
| 7 | Aircraft mechanics and service technicians [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm) | $79,870 | Certificate | 5.4% | 11,400 |
| 8 | Roof bolters, mining | $78,540 | High school or GED | a decline of 18.9% | 100 |
| 9 | Boilermakers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/boilermakers.htm) | $76,410 | High school or GED | a decline of 1.8% | 700 |
| 10 | Terrazzo workers and finishers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/brickmasons-blockmasons-and-stonemasons.htm) | $76,170 | High school or GED | a decline of 13% | 100 |
| 11 | Construction and building inspectors [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-and-building-inspectors.htm) | $74,690 | High school or GED | 0% | 14,800 |
| 12 | Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining | $74,500 | No diploma needed | a decline of 15.8% | 400 |
| 13 | Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door | $74,340 | High school or GED | 4.3% | 3,600 |
| 14 | Telecommunications line installers and repairers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/telecommunications-equipment-installers-and-repairers-except-line-installers.htm) | $74,330 | High school or GED | a decline of 3.4% | 8,000 |
| 15 | Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/electrical-and-electronics-installers-and-repairers.htm) | $74,090 | Certificate | 0.3% | 4,700 |
| 16 | Pile driver operators [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-equipment-operators.htm) | $73,300 | High school or GED | a decline of 5.7% | 200 |
| 17 | Commercial divers | $72,990 | Certificate | 4.8% | 400 |
| 18 | Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators | $70,070 | High school or GED | 1.5% | 1,200 |
| 19 | Tapers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/drywall-and-ceiling-tile-installers-and-tapers.htm) | $68,270 | No diploma needed | a decline of 1.6% | 900 |
| 20 | Rotary drill operators, oil and gas [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/oil-and-gas-workers.htm) | $67,890 | No diploma needed | 0.8% | 1,100 |
| 21 | Rail car repairers [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heavy-vehicle-and-mobile-equipment-service-technicians.htm) | $67,530 | High school or GED | 2.6% | 1,600 |
| 22 | Watch and clock repairers | $67,230 | High school or GED | a decline of 0.3% | 100 |
| 23 | Millwrights [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/industrial-machinery-mechanics-and-maintenance-workers-and-millwrights.htm) | $65,700 | High school or GED | 0.9% | 3,200 |
| 24 | Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heavy-vehicle-and-mobile-equipment-service-technicians.htm) | $65,510 | High school or GED | 6.7% | 15,000 |
| 25 | Industrial machinery mechanics [(BLS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/industrial-machinery-mechanics-and-maintenance-workers-and-millwrights.htm) | $64,520 | High school or GED | 17.8% | 44,400 |

Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm) (Table 1.2), May 2025 median wages, retrieved 2026-10-09. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or switch fields.

## Why apprenticeships dominate the top

The trades near the top tend to be the ones with the most to learn and the highest stakes when something goes wrong: live power lines, elevators, gas lines. Employers and unions train for those jobs through long apprenticeships, often four or five years. You can search registered programs at [Apprenticeship.gov](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder).

Trades with shorter training, like roofing or painting, sit lower on pay but can get you working within weeks. Neither is the wrong choice; it depends on how long you can wait for full pay.

## Overtime changes the picture

These are base medians. Many trades offer overtime at time and a half, and storm work or shutdowns can add a lot in a busy year. Use the [hourly to yearly calculator](https://careerdirecting.com/career-quiz/hourly-to-salary/) to see what extra hours would do to your pay.

## Questions people ask

### What is the highest-paying trade?

In the 2025 data, elevator and escalator installers and repairers have the highest median pay of the common trades, with powerhouse repairers and power line installers close behind. These usually take years of training on the job.

### Which trades pay well and are quick to learn?

Look at jobs with a certificate as the typical way in, such as HVAC and wind turbine technicians. Sort the table by pay, then read the training column.

### Are trade wages the same everywhere?

No. Union areas and big cities often pay more, and rural areas less. Check local pay before you commit.

## Sources

- [BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, Table 1.2 (occupational projections and worker characteristics)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)
- [Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/)

## Where to go next

- [Best trades to learn](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/best-trades-to-learn/)
- [HVAC vs electrician](https://careerdirecting.com/compare/hvac-vs-electrician/)
- [Start here](https://careerdirecting.com/start/)
- [Jobs without a degree](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/)
- [6-month certificates](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/6-month-certificate-programs/)
- [AI-proof jobs](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/ai-proof-jobs/)
- [Associate degree jobs](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/associate-degree-jobs/)
- [Trades for women](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/best-trades-for-women/)

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