The Honest Answer to Which Trades Pay the Most
If you're weighing a trade career — or thinking about switching from one trade to another — salary is one of the first things you want to know. Fair enough. So let's skip the vague promises and get straight to the numbers.
All figures below come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics). These are national median annual wages, meaning half of workers in that trade earn more, half earn less. Where you live, whether you're union or non-union, and how many years you've been in the field will all move that number up or down — sometimes dramatically. State breakdowns are included further down.
The Rankings: Best Paying Trades in 2026
Here's how nine major trades stack up by national median annual wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS:
- Elevator Mechanic — $106,580/yr
- Industrial Mechanic / Millwright — $63,760/yr
- Plumber / Pipefitter — $62,970/yr
- Electrician — $62,350/yr
- Sheet Metal Worker — $60,850/yr
- HVAC Technician — $59,810/yr
- Carpenter — $59,310/yr
- Ironworker — $56,020/yr
- Welder — $51,000/yr
The gap at the top is not a typo. Elevator mechanics earn more than any other trade on this list by a wide margin — over $40,000 more per year than the next closest trade. That's a combination of intense specialization, a relatively small and tightly controlled workforce, and strong union representation through the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC).
Below elevator mechanics, the middle of the pack is surprisingly tight. Industrial mechanics/millwrights, plumbers, and electricians all land within about $1,500 of each other. If you're trying to choose between those three, salary alone probably shouldn't be the deciding factor — look at local demand, apprenticeship availability, and working conditions instead.
Welders sit at the bottom of this list, but that number deserves some context. Welding is a broad field. A general production welder and a certified pipe welder working on an oil rig are both called welders — but they earn very different wages. Specialization matters enormously in welding.
Why Location Can Swing Your Pay by $20,000 or More
National medians are a starting point, not the whole story. A carpenter in Illinois earns more than a plumber in Florida. Location — specifically, union density, cost of living, and local construction demand — reshapes the salary landscape completely.
Here's a state-by-state breakdown for the same nine trades, all figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS:
Elevator Mechanic
- California: $137,340/yr
- Illinois: $130,070/yr
- New York: $124,530/yr
- Florida: $103,400/yr
- Texas: $94,550/yr
Electrician
- Illinois: $96,360/yr
- New York: $77,460/yr
- California: $76,540/yr
- Texas: $56,920/yr
- Florida: $53,100/yr
Plumber / Pipefitter
- Illinois: $96,200/yr
- New York: $78,460/yr
- California: $68,390/yr
- Texas: $58,560/yr
- Florida: $50,540/yr
Industrial Mechanic / Millwright
- California: $73,840/yr
- New York: $67,010/yr
- Illinois: $66,770/yr
- Texas: $61,590/yr
- Florida: $60,340/yr
Sheet Metal Worker
- California: $79,630/yr
- Illinois: $93,570/yr
- New York: $73,470/yr
- Texas: $55,840/yr
- Florida: $49,170/yr
HVAC Technician
- Illinois: $71,620/yr
- New York: $66,670/yr
- California: $65,290/yr
- Texas: $54,050/yr
- Florida: $50,580/yr
Ironworker
- Illinois: $83,020/yr
- New York: $73,940/yr
- California: $60,370/yr
- Florida: $47,480/yr
- Texas: $46,500/yr
Carpenter
- Illinois: $76,410/yr
- California: $74,820/yr
- New York: $63,660/yr
- Texas: $48,150/yr
- Florida: $48,080/yr
Welder
- California: $57,940/yr
- New York: $57,230/yr
- Texas: $49,830/yr
- Illinois: $49,730/yr
- Florida: $49,430/yr
The Illinois numbers for electricians and plumbers — both north of $96,000 — reflect the strong union presence in the Chicago metro area. If you're in a heavily unionized market and complete a union apprenticeship, your earnings can look very different from what you'd make doing the same work in a right-to-work state.
What It Actually Takes to Get Into the Top-Paying Trades
High wages don't come without a cost of entry. Here's what the path looks like for the trades at the top of this list:
Elevator Mechanic: This is one of the hardest trades to break into. Most elevator mechanics go through a 5-year apprenticeship with the IUEC. Openings are limited and competition is real. You'll need mechanical aptitude, comfort with heights, and willingness to be on call. The payoff is the highest median wage on this list.
Industrial Mechanic / Millwright: Apprenticeships typically run 4–5 years. Millwrights work in manufacturing plants, power facilities, and industrial settings — installing, aligning, and maintaining heavy machinery. It's physically demanding and requires strong mechanical problem-solving skills. Demand is steady because every factory and plant needs people who can keep equipment running.
Plumber / Pipefitter: Licensing requirements vary by state, but most plumbers complete a 4–5 year apprenticeship and then need a journeyman license, followed eventually by a master plumber license if they want to run their own jobs or business. The licensing path is well-defined and the work isn't going anywhere — every building needs plumbing.
Electrician: Similar structure to plumbing — apprenticeship, journeyman license, master electrician license. Timelines are typically 4–5 years of apprenticeship. Electricians in union markets like Chicago and New York can earn significantly more than the national median once they reach journeyman status.
For most of these trades, the apprenticeship is earn-while-you-learn — you're getting paid from day one, typically starting around 40–50% of journeyman wages and increasing as you progress. No student loan debt.
The Bottom Line: Which Trade Should You Choose?
If maximum salary is the only goal, elevator mechanics are in a class of their own. But most people don't get to choose their trade like picking a stock. You need to get accepted into an apprenticeship program, you need that program to exist near where you live, and you need the work to actually suit you.
For a more realistic picture: plumbers, electricians, and industrial mechanics all land in a tight cluster between $62,000 and $64,000 nationally, with serious upside in union markets. HVAC and sheet metal are close behind. All of them offer a clear apprenticeship path, steady demand, and the ability to eventually go independent or move into supervisory roles.
Welding is the lowest median on this list, but it's also one of the most accessible entry points into the trades — and a certified welder with the right specialty credentials can out-earn many trades on this list. Don't write it off if that's where your interest lies.
The worst move is chasing salary in a trade you'll hate doing. A burned-out electrician making $96,000 in Illinois isn't winning. Pick a trade you can actually see yourself doing for 20 years, find out whether your local market has union or non-union opportunities, and get into an apprenticeship program as fast as you can.
FAQ
What is the highest paying trade in 2026?
Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data, elevator mechanic is the highest paying skilled trade with a national median annual wage of $106,580. In states like California and Illinois, the median climbs to $137,340 and $130,070 respectively.
Do union tradespeople earn more than non-union?
Generally, yes — and the state data backs this up. States with high union density like Illinois show dramatically higher wages across nearly every trade. An electrician's median in Illinois is $96,360 compared to $53,100 in Florida, a difference that closely tracks union density. That said, union membership also means dues, rules, and working within a hiring hall system, which isn't for everyone.
How long does it take to reach journeyman wages in a trade?
Most apprenticeships run 4–5 years. During that time you earn a percentage of journeyman wages — typically starting around 40–50% and stepping up annually. By year four or five, most apprentices are earning 80–90% of the journeyman rate. After completing the apprenticeship and obtaining your journeyman license, you earn the full rate. For elevator mechanics, the apprenticeship is five years through the IUEC.