What Overlooked Trades Really Pay
Career sites cover nurses and software engineers to death. These 20 skilled trades — several paying six figures — get ignored. Every number here is from the federal government's employer wage survey, not self-reported guesses.
20
trades tracked
$109,910
highest median
$158,890
top-10% ceiling
$0
self-reported data
All 20 trades by median pay
| Trade | Median pay | Top 10% earn | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator Mechanics | $109,910 | $158,890 | 23,790 |
| Substation Technicians | $103,020 | $129,920 | 20,720 |
| Power Line Installers | $95,320 | $128,690 | 131,070 |
| Boilermakers | $76,410 | $110,370 | 10,190 |
| Terrazzo Workers | $76,170 | $126,130 | 1,180 |
| Commercial Divers | $72,990 | $157,790 | 3,450 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanics | $65,510 | $94,460 | 176,600 |
| Wind Turbine Technicians | $64,120 | $92,460 | 9,980 |
| Structural Ironworkers | $62,780 | $108,260 | 68,380 |
| Riggers | $62,640 | $97,850 | 22,530 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $61,800 | $105,650 | 119,770 |
| Medical Equipment Repairers | $61,660 | $98,280 | 65,990 |
| HVAC Technicians | $61,010 | $95,210 | 409,670 |
| Water Treatment Operators | $60,020 | $91,060 | 128,490 |
| Rebar Workers | $58,970 | $104,540 | 13,800 |
| Derrick Operators | $58,620 | $81,800 | 10,590 |
| Service Unit Operators | $58,160 | $97,560 | 43,140 |
| Glaziers | $57,080 | $89,790 | 58,480 |
| Hazmat Removal Workers | $49,450 | $82,410 | 51,710 |
| Insulation Workers | $49,120 | $78,190 | 44,440 |
Tools & rankings
⚖ Compare any two trades side by side
🏆 Highest-paying trades without a college degree
💰 Trades where six figures is realistic
About this data
Every figure comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a survey of what employers actually pay, covering millions of establishments. We publish the May 2025 release: median, mean, percentile, and state-level annual wages. No estimates, no self-reported salaries, no lead forms.