Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Houston vs Detroit
Skilled-trade workers in Houston earn an average median wage of $58,026 versus $67,215 in Detroit, per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. After adjusting for cost of living, Detroit delivers $75,522 in U.S.-average purchasing power versus $60,444 for Houston.
Nominal Pay vs Real Pay
On nominal pay, Detroit runs ahead — $67,215 versus $58,026, a gap of $9,189. Whether that gap survives a cost-of-living adjustment is the key question, and it usually does not survive in coastal-versus-interior comparisons.
Cost of living diverges meaningfully — Houston at index 96 versus Detroit at 89. Houston is the more expensive metro by 7 index points, which means a worker in Houston needs roughly that much more in nominal pay just to match the purchasing power of a worker in Detroit.
Once cost of living is factored in, Detroit delivers $15,078 more in real purchasing power than Houston. That is a substantial gap on a per-year basis and compounds over a career; for a worker comparing offers, it is often the deciding number.
Houston, TX
Detroit, MI
Trade-by-Trade Comparison
| Trade | Houston | Detroit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Manager | $101,850 | $108,560 | -$6,710 |
| Industrial Electrician | $83,360 | $63,430 | +$19,930 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | $80,850 | $74,490 | +$6,360 |
| Power Line Installer | $80,480 | $106,360 | -$25,880 |
| Electrical Power-Line Tech | $80,480 | $106,360 | -$25,880 |
| Crane Operator | $75,450 | $84,470 | -$9,020 |
| Millwright | $67,760 | $83,860 | -$16,100 |
| Boilermaker | $64,310 | $96,510 | -$32,200 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $63,180 | $65,110 | -$1,930 |
| Building Inspector | $62,990 | $72,460 | -$9,470 |
| Plumber | $60,230 | $81,480 | -$21,250 |
| Pipefitter | $60,230 | $81,480 | -$21,250 |
| Fire Sprinkler Fitter | $60,230 | $81,480 | -$21,250 |
| Steamfitter | $60,230 | $81,480 | -$21,250 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $60,180 | $60,550 | -$370 |
| Electrician | $59,180 | $80,330 | -$21,150 |
| Machinist | $58,630 | $57,240 | +$1,390 |
| HVAC Technician | $57,910 | $61,140 | -$3,230 |
| Refrigeration Mechanic | $57,910 | $61,140 | -$3,230 |
| Telecommunications Tech | $57,740 | $62,870 | -$5,130 |
| Environmental Engineering Tech | $56,930 | $48,500 | +$8,430 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $56,020 | $61,750 | -$5,730 |
| Welder | $53,810 | $50,250 | +$3,560 |
| Structural Welder | $53,810 | $50,250 | +$3,560 |
| Underwater Welder | $53,810 | $50,250 | +$3,560 |
| Drywall Installer | $51,090 | $56,330 | -$5,240 |
| Auto Mechanic | $50,740 | $50,700 | +$40 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $50,510 | $65,210 | -$14,700 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $50,460 | $72,300 | -$21,840 |
| Mason (Bricklayer) | $50,060 | $62,540 | -$12,480 |
| Carpenter | $48,910 | $65,060 | -$16,150 |
| Insulation Worker | $47,860 | $47,560 | +$300 |
| Concrete Finisher | $47,150 | $62,650 | -$15,500 |
| Glazier | $46,740 | $59,240 | -$12,500 |
| Maintenance Mechanic | $46,080 | $48,290 | -$2,210 |
| Septic Tank Servicer | $45,480 | $50,250 | -$4,770 |
| Painter (Construction) | $44,980 | $55,430 | -$10,450 |
| Locksmith | $44,970 | $60,100 | -$15,130 |
| Roofer | $44,530 | $60,590 | -$16,060 |
| Floor Layer | $44,010 | $51,540 | -$7,530 |
| Tile Setter | $43,640 | $56,210 | -$12,570 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median, drawn from the 2024 release at bls.gov/oes. The COL-Adjusted column uses each metro's cost-of-living index to translate nominal pay into U.S.-average purchasing power. The Avg Trade Pay Score is the average of the per-trade composites for that metro — a 0-100 grade weighted on raw pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%). Read the full methodology.
Career outlook data — projected employment growth through 2032 by trade — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship listings for both Houston and Detroit are maintained at the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov registry. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do trade workers earn more in Houston or Detroit?
On nominal pay, Detroit earns more — $67,215 versus $58,026. After cost of living, Detroit delivers stronger real purchasing power at $75,522 versus $60,444.
What is the cost-of-living difference between Houston and Detroit?
Houston carries a cost-of-living index of 96; Detroit runs at 89. The 7-point difference means a worker needs roughly that much more nominal pay in the higher-cost metro just to match the purchasing power of the lower-cost metro.
Which metro has more skilled-trade jobs tracked?
Houston tracks 45 trades with available BLS OEWS data; Detroit tracks 41. Both readings come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys hundreds of thousands of employers per release.
How are these wages calculated?
Every wage figure is the median (50th percentile) annual salary for that trade in that metro from the 2024 BLS OEWS release. The cost-of-living-adjusted column uses each metro's COL index to convert nominal pay into U.S.-average purchasing power. Read the full BLS OEWS methodology at https://www.bls.gov/oes/ for survey design and percentile computation detail.
Where can I find apprenticeships in either metro?
Registered apprenticeship programs for both metros are listed on the U.S. Department of Labor's site at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/, which lets you filter by city and trade. Most skilled trades require 3-5 years of registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay.
Skilled-trade workers in Houston earn an average median wage of $58,026 versus $67,215 in Detroit, per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. After adjusting for cost of living, Detroit delivers $75,522 in U.S.-average purchasing power versus $60,444 for Houston.
Comparing entity A and entity B on U.S. skilled-trade wage data requires lining up the underlying the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey data side by side. The table above runs the comparison on the canonical fields; the narrative below identifies the factor or factors that drive the most meaningful difference between the two.
Practical use of the comparison: read the data above, then drill into the individual entity A and entity B detail pages for the underlying breakdown. A pairwise comparison answers the relative question; the per-entity pages answer the absolute question.