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Highest Paying Trade Jobs
The highest paying trade job is commercial pilot, with a median salary of $123,220 a year, followed by elevator and escalator installer and repairer ($109,910) and power plant operator ($102,040). All 135 trade jobs below are ranked by median pay from the latest BLS wage survey (May 2025).
These skilled trades need no bachelor's degree and no prior experience: you learn through an apprenticeship, a trade school certificate or on-the-job training, often while being paid.
Highest Paying Trade Jobs, ranked
of 135 jobs match.
| # | Job | Median | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial pilot Transportation and Material Moving | $123,220 | – | $266,620 | Certificate | 47,630 |
| 2 | Elevator and escalator installer and repairer Construction and Extraction | $109,910 | $52.84 | $158,890 | High school diploma | 23,790 |
| 3 | Power plant operator Production | $102,040 | $49.06 | $131,940 | High school diploma | 29,320 |
| 4 | Petroleum pump system operator, refinery operator, and gauger Production | $96,710 | $46.50 | $115,880 | High school diploma | 33,160 |
| 5 | Electrical power-line installer and repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $95,320 | $45.83 | $128,690 | High school diploma | 131,070 |
| 6 | Aircraft mechanic and service technician Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $79,870 | $38.40 | $128,890 | Certificate | 138,090 |
| 7 | Stationary engineer and boiler operator Production | $78,620 | $37.80 | $125,390 | High school diploma | 28,250 |
| 8 | Control and valve installer and repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $74,340 | $35.74 | $112,500 | High school diploma | 48,240 |
| 9 | Telecommunications line installer and repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $74,330 | $35.73 | $103,680 | High school diploma | 97,720 |
| 10 | Electrical and electronics repairer, commercial and industrial equipment Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $74,090 | $35.62 | $105,590 | Certificate | 65,010 |
| 11 | Computer numerically controlled tool programmer Production | $68,120 | $32.75 | $100,320 | Certificate | 28,500 |
| 12 | Rail car repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $67,530 | $32.46 | $95,100 | High school diploma | 21,350 |
| 13 | Surgical assistant Healthcare Practitioners | $66,800 | $32.11 | $107,610 | Certificate | 22,270 |
| 14 | Millwright Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $65,700 | $31.59 | $93,600 | High school diploma | 40,330 |
| 15 | Mobile heavy equipment mechanic Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $65,510 | $31.50 | $94,460 | High school diploma | 176,600 |
| 16 | Aircraft structure, surface, rigging, and systems assembler Production | $65,380 | $31.43 | $107,500 | High school diploma | 34,020 |
| 17 | Surgical technologist Healthcare Practitioners | $64,650 | $31.08 | $96,940 | Certificate | 117,460 |
| 18 | Industrial machinery mechanic Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $64,520 | $31.02 | $95,170 | High school diploma | 439,640 |
| 19 | Licensed practical nurse Healthcare Practitioners | $64,400 | $30.96 | $83,440 | Certificate | 648,410 |
| 20 | Tool and die maker Production | $64,050 | $30.79 | $92,680 | Certificate | 56,930 |
| 21 | Telecommunications equipment installer and repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $63,890 | $30.72 | $96,730 | Certificate | 140,920 |
| 22 | Plumber Construction and Extraction | $63,800 | $30.67 | $108,420 | High school diploma | 465,840 |
| 23 | Electrician Construction and Extraction | $63,190 | $30.38 | $108,510 | High school diploma | 757,220 |
| 24 | Structural iron and steel worker Construction and Extraction | $62,780 | $30.18 | $108,260 | High school diploma | 68,380 |
| 25 | Rigger Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $62,640 | $30.12 | $97,850 | High school diploma | 22,530 |
| 26 | Brickmason and blockmason Construction and Extraction | $62,120 | $29.87 | $100,010 | High school diploma | 52,550 |
| 27 | Sheet metal worker Construction and Extraction | $61,800 | $29.71 | $105,650 | High school diploma | 119,770 |
| 28 | Diesel mechanic Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $61,770 | $29.70 | $88,740 | High school diploma | 289,960 |
| 29 | Medical equipment repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $61,660 | $29.64 | $98,280 | Associate's degree | 65,990 |
| 30 | HVAC technician Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $61,010 | $29.33 | $95,210 | Certificate | 409,670 |
| 31 | Maintenance worker, machinery Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $60,850 | $29.25 | $88,550 | High school diploma | 60,020 |
| 32 | Carpenter Construction and Extraction | $60,580 | $29.12 | $99,910 | High school diploma | 670,090 |
| 33 | Security and fire alarm systems installer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $60,070 | $28.88 | $81,150 | High school diploma | 86,340 |
| 34 | Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator Production | $60,020 | $28.86 | $91,060 | High school diploma | 128,490 |
| 35 | Heavy equipment operator Construction and Extraction | $59,850 | $28.78 | $101,090 | High school diploma | 478,090 |
| 36 | Firefighter Protective Service | $59,280 | $28.50 | $101,040 | Certificate | 345,990 |
| 37 | Drywall and ceiling tile installer Construction and Extraction | $58,930 | $28.33 | $102,010 | No formal education | 83,080 |
| 38 | Machinist Production | $58,750 | $28.24 | $80,010 | High school diploma | 287,050 |
| 39 | Truck driver Transportation and Material Moving | $58,640 | $28.19 | $79,380 | Certificate | 2,062,040 |
| 40 | Massage therapist Healthcare Support | $58,450 | $28.10 | $100,200 | Certificate | 98,790 |
| 41 | Insulation worker, mechanical Construction and Extraction | $58,340 | $28.05 | $100,220 | High school diploma | 25,660 |
| 42 | Audio and video technician Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media | $58,100 | $27.93 | $100,650 | Certificate | 70,230 |
| 43 | Chemical equipment operator and tender Production | $58,040 | $27.90 | $92,250 | High school diploma | 139,630 |
| 44 | Motorboat mechanic and service technician Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $57,550 | $27.67 | $79,330 | High school diploma | 23,220 |
| 45 | Tire builder Production | $57,390 | $27.59 | $74,680 | High school diploma | 20,770 |
| 46 | Glazier Construction and Extraction | $57,080 | $27.44 | $89,790 | High school diploma | 58,480 |
| 47 | Cement mason and concrete finisher Construction and Extraction | $57,020 | $27.41 | $85,480 | No formal education | 206,170 |
| 48 | Farm equipment mechanic and service technician Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $56,550 | $27.19 | $78,740 | High school diploma | 37,870 |
| 49 | Floor layer Construction and Extraction | $56,460 | $27.15 | $96,700 | No formal education | 23,640 |
| 50 | Mechanical door repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $55,720 | $26.79 | $78,260 | High school diploma | 27,120 |
| 51 | Tile and stone setter Construction and Extraction | $55,690 | $26.77 | $86,110 | No formal education | 35,850 |
| 52 | Roofer Construction and Extraction | $55,440 | $26.65 | $81,720 | No formal education | 135,490 |
| 53 | Automotive body and related repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $54,890 | $26.39 | $87,940 | High school diploma | 149,310 |
| 54 | Welder Production | $53,750 | $25.84 | $77,530 | High school diploma | 416,210 |
| 55 | Engine and other machine assembler Production | $53,710 | $25.82 | $77,750 | High school diploma | 34,000 |
| 56 | Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator Construction and Extraction | $53,340 | $25.64 | $92,230 | High school diploma | 41,820 |
| 57 | Solar photovoltaic installer Construction and Extraction | $53,140 | $25.55 | $79,970 | High school diploma | 31,350 |
| 58 | Jeweler and precious stone and metal worker Production | $52,540 | $25.26 | $87,540 | High school diploma | 22,440 |
| 59 | Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $51,610 | $24.81 | $79,750 | High school diploma | 60,100 |
| 60 | Semiconductor processing technician Production | $51,430 | $24.73 | $82,540 | High school diploma | 31,460 |
| 61 | Structural metal fabricator and fitter Production | $51,330 | $24.68 | $72,280 | High school diploma | 52,360 |
| 62 | Medical records specialist Healthcare Practitioners | $51,140 | $24.59 | $81,150 | Certificate | 194,720 |
| 63 | Home appliance repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $50,990 | $24.51 | $80,660 | High school diploma | 32,150 |
| 64 | Computer numerically controlled tool operator Production | $50,690 | $24.37 | $73,890 | High school diploma | 169,450 |
| 65 | Auto mechanic Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $50,620 | $24.34 | $81,790 | Certificate | 704,640 |
| 66 | Paper goods machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $50,270 | $24.17 | $70,320 | High school diploma | 96,130 |
| 67 | Highway maintenance worker Construction and Extraction | $50,260 | $24.16 | $71,970 | High school diploma | 154,960 |
| 68 | Rolling machine setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $50,140 | $24.10 | $70,310 | High school diploma | 25,250 |
| 69 | Miscellaneous construction and related worker Construction and Extraction | $49,910 | $24.00 | $78,700 | High school diploma | 28,380 |
| 70 | Septic tank servicer and sewer pipe cleaner Construction and Extraction | $49,880 | $23.98 | $73,490 | High school diploma | 30,650 |
| 71 | Dental laboratory technician Production | $49,610 | $23.85 | $76,940 | High school diploma | 34,410 |
| 72 | Maintenance and repair worker, general Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $49,590 | $23.84 | $77,180 | High school diploma | 1,529,700 |
| 73 | Hazardous materials removal worker Construction and Extraction | $49,450 | $23.78 | $82,410 | High school diploma | 51,710 |
| 74 | Painter, construction and maintenance Construction and Extraction | $49,400 | $23.75 | $78,810 | No formal education | 225,190 |
| 75 | Insulation worker, floor, ceiling, and wall Construction and Extraction | $49,120 | $23.62 | $78,190 | No formal education | 44,440 |
| 76 | Pipelayer Construction and Extraction | $49,000 | $23.56 | $80,170 | No formal education | 33,050 |
| 77 | Mixing and blending machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $48,990 | $23.55 | $70,200 | High school diploma | 94,920 |
| 78 | Prepress technician and worker Production | $48,690 | $23.41 | $66,080 | Certificate | 23,840 |
| 79 | Inspector, tester, sorter, sampler, and weigher Production | $48,570 | $23.35 | $77,860 | High school diploma | 597,370 |
| 80 | Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $48,540 | $23.34 | $69,240 | High school diploma | 26,000 |
| 81 | Coating, painting, and spraying machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $48,250 | $23.20 | $74,730 | High school diploma | 158,740 |
| 82 | Dental assistant Healthcare Support | $48,070 | $23.11 | $62,250 | Certificate | 387,790 |
| 83 | Fence erector Construction and Extraction | $47,980 | $23.07 | $70,010 | No formal education | 24,480 |
| 84 | Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $47,920 | $23.04 | $66,540 | High school diploma | 31,600 |
| 85 | Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanic Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $47,880 | $23.02 | $67,260 | High school diploma | 36,060 |
| 86 | Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $47,810 | $22.99 | $71,730 | Some college | 65,600 |
| 87 | Extruding and drawing machine setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $47,720 | $22.94 | $63,710 | High school diploma | 60,840 |
| 88 | Automotive glass installer and repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $47,630 | $22.90 | $70,650 | High school diploma | 20,310 |
| 89 | Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicer and repairer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $47,450 | $22.81 | $66,370 | High school diploma | 26,410 |
| 90 | Multiple machine tool setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $47,180 | $22.68 | $74,450 | High school diploma | 124,590 |
| 91 | Construction laborer Construction and Extraction | $47,120 | $22.66 | $78,090 | No formal education | 1,096,780 |
| 92 | Roustabout, oil and gas Construction and Extraction | $46,960 | $22.58 | $64,530 | No formal education | 44,970 |
| 93 | Cabinetmaker and bench carpenter Production | $46,680 | $22.44 | $63,720 | High school diploma | 77,170 |
| 94 | Cutting and slicing machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $46,570 | $22.39 | $61,120 | High school diploma | 44,980 |
| 95 | Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $46,550 | $22.38 | $62,600 | High school diploma | 67,000 |
| 96 | Upholsterer Production | $46,340 | $22.28 | $63,770 | High school diploma | 20,140 |
| 97 | Cutting, punching, and press machine setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $46,330 | $22.27 | $65,510 | High school diploma | 171,200 |
| 98 | Molder, shaper, and caster Production | $46,170 | $22.20 | $61,530 | High school diploma | 33,190 |
| 99 | Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assembler Production | $45,850 | $22.04 | $62,950 | High school diploma | 246,970 |
| 100 | Printing press operator Production | $45,780 | $22.01 | $63,520 | High school diploma | 144,260 |
| 101 | Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $45,760 | $22.00 | $63,450 | High school diploma | 58,770 |
| 102 | Medical assistant Healthcare Support | $45,690 | $21.97 | $59,310 | Certificate | 817,870 |
| 103 | Ophthalmic medical technician Healthcare Practitioners | $45,570 | $21.91 | $61,940 | Certificate | 71,010 |
| 104 | Skincare specialist Personal Care and Service | $45,330 | $21.79 | $82,050 | Certificate | 72,890 |
| 105 | Phlebotomist Healthcare Support | $45,230 | $21.75 | $58,780 | Certificate | 143,540 |
| 106 | Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operator and tender Production | $44,810 | $21.54 | $62,680 | No formal education | 20,370 |
| 107 | Miscellaneous assembler and fabricator Production | $44,650 | $21.47 | $64,880 | High school diploma | 1,405,030 |
| 108 | Library technician Education and Library | $44,580 | $21.43 | $63,080 | Certificate | 68,690 |
| 109 | Emergency medical technician Healthcare Practitioners | $44,470 | $21.38 | $62,500 | Certificate | 180,510 |
| 110 | Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $44,350 | $21.32 | $61,600 | High school diploma | 150,470 |
| 111 | Plating machine setter, operator, and tender, metal and plastic Production | $43,960 | $21.14 | $60,370 | High school diploma | 32,410 |
| 112 | Carpenter helper Construction and Extraction | $43,780 | $21.05 | $57,670 | No formal education | 21,680 |
| 113 | Woodworking machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $43,380 | $20.86 | $56,830 | High school diploma | 61,420 |
| 114 | Packaging and filling machine operator and tender Production | $43,220 | $20.78 | $60,030 | High school diploma | 379,060 |
| 115 | Sawing machine setter, operator, and tender, wood Production | $42,770 | $20.56 | $58,170 | High school diploma | 40,850 |
| 116 | Electrician helper Construction and Extraction | $42,670 | $20.51 | $58,340 | High school diploma | 63,630 |
| 117 | Pipelayer, plumber, pipefitter, and steamfitter helper Construction and Extraction | $42,360 | $20.36 | $57,780 | High school diploma | 44,330 |
| 118 | Food batchmaker Production | $42,290 | $20.33 | $58,940 | High school diploma | 174,520 |
| 119 | Print binding and finishing worker Production | $42,290 | $20.33 | $59,150 | High school diploma | 33,180 |
| 120 | Nursing assistant Healthcare Support | $42,260 | $20.32 | $51,980 | Certificate | 1,448,910 |
| 121 | Food cooking machine operator and tender Production | $41,590 | $20.00 | $54,410 | High school diploma | 31,250 |
| 122 | Medical transcriptionist Healthcare Support | $40,410 | $19.43 | $55,950 | Certificate | 41,550 |
| 123 | Butcher and meat cutter Production | $40,140 | $19.30 | $58,110 | No formal education | 136,430 |
| 124 | Slaughterer and meat packer Production | $40,130 | $19.29 | $51,090 | No formal education | 69,950 |
| 125 | Installation, maintenance, and repair worker helper Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $39,630 | $19.05 | $55,890 | High school diploma | 95,580 |
| 126 | Production worker helper Production | $39,070 | $18.78 | $53,410 | High school diploma | 165,700 |
| 127 | Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setter, operator, and tender Production | $38,670 | $18.59 | $49,420 | High school diploma | 22,020 |
| 128 | Meat, poultry, and fish cutter and trimmer Production | $38,300 | $18.41 | $48,150 | No formal education | 145,700 |
| 129 | Tire repairer and changer Installation, Maintenance and Repair | $37,710 | $18.13 | $50,230 | High school diploma | 108,410 |
| 130 | Baker Production | $37,160 | $17.86 | $49,020 | No formal education | 236,200 |
| 131 | Sewing machine operator Production | $36,670 | $17.63 | $47,840 | No formal education | 104,880 |
| 132 | Hairstylist Personal Care and Service | $35,790 | $17.21 | $71,190 | Certificate | 305,710 |
| 133 | Manicurist and pedicurist Personal Care and Service | $35,760 | $17.19 | $50,140 | Certificate | 152,770 |
| 134 | Presser, textile, garment, and related material Production | $35,060 | $16.85 | $43,050 | No formal education | 26,120 |
| 135 | Laundry and dry-cleaning worker Production | $34,890 | $16.78 | $43,190 | No formal education | 198,040 |
No job matches those filters.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), and Employment Projections education and training assignments (2025). Salaries are yearly medians before tax for wage and salary workers, not the self-employed. The median for all US jobs is $50,980. Jobs with fewer than 20,000 workers nationally are not listed.
Version 1.0
About the Highest Paying Jobs
Highest Paying Jobs ranks 515 US jobs by what they actually pay, using the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025, published 2026). Filter the list by field, by the education a job needs to start, or by a minimum salary, and sort it by median pay, average pay, what the top 10% earn, hourly wage or the number of people in the job. Ready-made rankings answer the common questions: the highest paying jobs without a degree, with only a high school diploma, with an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree, entry-level and trade jobs, the best-paid jobs in healthcare, tech, engineering and ten other fields, and the highest paying jobs in each of the 50 states and Washington DC. Every job links to its own salary page with hourly pay, the full pay range and pay by state.
How to use it
- 1 Start with the full ranking, or pick a ready-made list such as jobs without a degree, a field or your state.
- 2 Narrow it down with the field, education and minimum pay filters, or search for a job.
- 3 Sort by median salary, top 10% pay, hourly wage or most workers.
- 4 Open any job to see its pay range, hourly and monthly pay and salary in every state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest paying trade job?
Commercial pilot pays the most, with a median salary of $123,220 a year. The top three are commercial pilot ($123,220), elevator and escalator installer and repairer ($109,910), power plant operator ($102,040).
How many trade jobs pay over $100,000?
3 of the 135 trade jobs have a median salary of $100,000 or more a year.
Which well-paid trade job has the most openings?
Electrician employs the most people among the best-paid trade jobs, with about 757,220 workers and a median salary of $63,190. More people in a job usually means more openings each year.
Which trade job pays the most per hour?
Elevator and escalator installer and repairer has the highest median hourly wage, $52.84 an hour. Some jobs, such as teachers, are paid by the year only and have no hourly figure.
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