These are the median wages that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for fourteen skilled-trade occupations, sorted from highest to lowest. Every figure uses the same reference period (May 2025 wages, 2025 employment, 2025–2035 projections) and links back to its BLS profile in the sources. A median is the middle wage for the whole occupation, beginners and experienced workers together, and BLS wage data exclude self-employed workers. Treat the table as a starting point for research, not as a starting-salary list.
| Occupation (BLS profile) | Median annual wage | Median hourly | Jobs, 2025 | Growth 2025–35 | Openings per year | Typical entry route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 | $52.84 | 24,700 | 6% | About 1,900 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| Line installers and repairers | $95,320 | $45.83 | 131,900 | 10% | About 10,900 | High school diploma, then long-term on-the-job training |
| Boilermakers | $76,410 | $36.74 | 10,200 | −2% | About 700 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| Millwrights | $65,700 | Not shown | 40,700 | 1% | Not shown separately | Most complete an apprenticeship of up to 4 years |
| Wind turbine technicians | $64,120 | $30.83 | 11,800 | 30% | About 1,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award, then long-term on-the-job training |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $63,800 | $30.67 | 510,600 | 7% | About 42,000 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| Electricians | $63,190 | $30.38 | 821,000 | 9% | About 72,700 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| Ironworkers | $61,910 | $29.77 | 84,800 | 1% | About 6,800 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| Sheet metal workers | $61,800 | $29.71 | 131,100 | 3% | About 9,800 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| HVACR mechanics and installers | $61,010 | $29.33 | 440,900 | 11% | About 40,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award; some apprenticeships |
| Carpenters | $60,580 | $29.12 | 889,700 | 4% | About 62,800 | High school diploma, then an apprenticeship |
| Construction equipment operators | $59,600 | $28.66 | 534,100 | 4% | About 42,500 | High school diploma, then moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers | $53,750 | $25.84 | 437,700 | 2% | About 40,300 | High school diploma; technical training often preferred |
| Solar photovoltaic installers | $53,140 | $25.55 | 31,100 | 37% | About 4,200 | High school diploma, then moderate-term on-the-job training |
The millwright figures come from the combined BLS profile for industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights, which reports millwrights separately. The line installer profile covers both electrical power-line and telecommunications line work, and pay can differ between them.
Pay is only one column
The two best-paid occupations in the table are small. Elevator installers had about 24,700 jobs and about 1,900 openings a year; line installers about 131,900 jobs and 10,900 openings. Compare that with electricians (about 72,700 openings a year) or carpenters (about 62,800). Fewer openings usually mean more competition for apprenticeship places, longer waiting lists or the need to relocate. Boilermaker employment is projected to decline slightly, while wind turbine technicians and solar installers are projected to grow fast from a small base.
Why medians differ so much
- Working conditions: several high-paying trades involve heights, heavy lifting, travel away from home, outdoor work in any weather or emergency call-outs.
- Training length: most of these occupations are entered through multi-year apprenticeships; apprentices earn less than the median while they train.
- Industry and location: the same occupation pays differently by industry and region. Our electrician, plumbing, HVAC and welding guides show median pay by employer type.
- Union coverage and overtime: wage scales and overtime rules vary by employer and contract; the BLS medians do not separate them.
How to use this table
- Pick two or three occupations whose working conditions you could accept, not just the top line.
- Look up the openings column and then count real local postings or apprenticeship intakes.
- Ask a sponsor for the written starting wage and how it rises; that, not the national median, belongs in your budget.
- Check the training cost and income forgone with the cost and payback calculator.
About “six-figure trades.” Among the fourteen occupations in this table, only elevator and escalator installers had a national median above $100,000. In other trades, the highest-paid tenth can exceed $100,000, but that reflects experienced workers in particular industries and places, not a typical first job.
The top five in brief
- Elevator and escalator installers and repairers install, maintain and repair elevators, escalators, moving walkways and similar equipment. Entry is usually through an apprenticeship.
- Line installers and repairers install and repair electrical power systems and telecommunications cables, often outdoors and at heights, with long-term on-the-job training.
- Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain and repair boilers, closed vats and other large containers for liquids and gases, usually after an apprenticeship.
- Millwrights install, dismantle, repair and move industrial machinery; most complete an apprenticeship of up to four years.
- Wind turbine technicians install, maintain and repair wind turbines, typically after a technical program and long-term on-the-job training.
Related guides
- Compare four trades in depth
- Salary comparison tool
- HVAC vs. electrician
- Welding vs. plumbing
- Find a paid apprenticeship
Sources & verification
Sources checked October 20, 2026. Statistical reference dates are stated separately. Official application rules may change.
- BLS OOH: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
- BLS OOH: Line Installers and Repairers
- BLS OOH: Boilermakers
- BLS OOH: Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights
- BLS OOH: Wind Turbine Technicians
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Electricians (pay May 2025, projections 2025–35)
- BLS OOH: Ironworkers
- BLS OOH: Sheet Metal Workers
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- BLS OOH: Carpenters
- BLS OOH: Construction Equipment Operators
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- BLS OOH: Solar Photovoltaic Installers