Skilled-trade pay and paths, state by state

Five trades, 51 states and DC, one source: the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025 estimates). Every page shows the median, the 10th to 90th percentile spread, how many people hold the job, and where the state ranks.

Pick a trade

Plumbers and pipefitters National median $63,800 a year. 465,840 employed. Electricians National median $63,190 a year. 757,220 employed. HVAC technicians National median $61,010 a year. 409,670 employed. Truck drivers (CDL) National median $58,640 a year. 2,062,040 employed. Welders National median $53,750 a year. 416,210 employed.

Or compare them

The trade ranking puts all five side by side on pay and employment. Each trade page ranks every state, and each state page carries the full wage spread for that state.

Or start from your state

Pick a state and see all five trades ranked by what they pay there, with employment beside the pay — the best-paid trade is not the same from one state to the next. Start with the state list.

New — how to get licensed: electrician and plumber pages in the largest states now carry the license tiers, required hours, exam and fees, each sourced from the state authority (see Texas electricians). Apprenticeship pay and more states and trades follow as each board's data is collected and cited.