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Skilled trades by state
Pick a state to see its trades ranked by what they pay there, how many people the state employs in each, and how that pay compares to the rest of the country. May 2025 BLS estimates.
| State | Best-paid trade | Its median | Employed in these trades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Plumbers and pipefitters | $58,670 | 75,210 |
| Alaska | Plumbers and pipefitters | $93,920 | 7,890 |
| Arizona | Plumbers and pipefitters | $62,070 | 91,230 |
| Arkansas | Truck drivers (CDL) | $51,550 | 54,200 |
| California | Electricians | $76,160 | 387,250 |
| Colorado | HVAC technicians | $65,200 | 66,350 |
| Connecticut | Electricians | $77,540 | 34,450 |
| Delaware | Plumbers and pipefitters | $64,720 | 15,220 |
| District of Columbia | Plumbers and pipefitters | $101,020 | 4,960 |
| Florida | Electricians | $57,250 | 247,460 |
| Georgia | Electricians | $58,320 | 130,840 |
| Hawaii | Electricians | $96,460 | 11,460 |
| Idaho | Electricians | $63,000 | 32,550 |
| Illinois | Plumbers and pipefitters | $99,950 | 150,070 |
| Indiana | Plumbers and pipefitters | $76,320 | 111,200 |
| Iowa | Plumbers and pipefitters | $63,890 | 64,190 |
| Kansas | Electricians | $65,860 | 45,300 |
| Kentucky | Plumbers and pipefitters | $64,160 | 60,880 |
| Louisiana | Plumbers and pipefitters | $63,680 | 66,520 |
| Maine | Electricians | $75,380 | 20,410 |
| Maryland | Electricians | $73,490 | 65,670 |
| Massachusetts | Plumbers and pipefitters | $93,880 | 73,190 |
| Michigan | Plumbers and pipefitters | $80,190 | 124,370 |
| Minnesota | Plumbers and pipefitters | $94,410 | 77,310 |
| Mississippi | Electricians | $60,860 | 43,290 |
| Missouri | Plumbers and pipefitters | $66,790 | 86,670 |
| Montana | Plumbers and pipefitters | $79,960 | 15,200 |
| Nebraska | Plumbers and pipefitters | $60,970 | 40,930 |
| Nevada | Electricians | $73,570 | 34,500 |
| New Hampshire | HVAC technicians | $73,850 | 15,910 |
| New Jersey | Plumbers and pipefitters | $78,240 | 84,310 |
| New Mexico | Plumbers and pipefitters | $61,440 | 24,010 |
| New York | Electricians | $78,750 | 159,780 |
| North Carolina | HVAC technicians | $57,260 | 125,530 |
| North Dakota | HVAC technicians | $74,490 | 20,620 |
| Ohio | Electricians | $64,700 | 162,880 |
| Oklahoma | Electricians | $61,010 | 58,000 |
| Oregon | Electricians | $101,310 | 49,150 |
| Pennsylvania | Plumbers and pipefitters | $68,080 | 157,630 |
| Rhode Island | Plumbers and pipefitters | $76,470 | 11,610 |
| South Carolina | Electricians | $58,740 | 62,250 |
| South Dakota | Electricians | $61,390 | 16,070 |
| Tennessee | Electricians | $61,090 | 113,480 |
| Texas | Plumbers and pipefitters | $59,840 | 417,270 |
| Utah | Electricians | $62,000 | 53,560 |
| Vermont | Electricians | $63,430 | 7,120 |
| Virginia | Electricians | $62,900 | 110,950 |
| Washington | Electricians | $95,220 | 87,470 |
| West Virginia | Electricians | $64,810 | 22,100 |
| Wisconsin | Plumbers and pipefitters | $81,210 | 99,800 |
| Wyoming | Electricians | $76,120 | 12,690 |
"Best-paid trade" is the highest median among the five trades tracked here for that state; it is not always the same trade from state to state. Open a state to see all five ranked.