Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Highest Paying Trades in Philadelphia
Skilled-trade workers in Philadelphia, PA earn an average median wage of $69,648 across 45 tracked trades, per 2024 BLS OEWS data. With a cost-of-living index of 115, that translates to roughly $60,563 in U.S.-average purchasing power. The top-paying trade in the metro is Construction Manager at $123,460.
Cost of Living and Real Pay in Philadelphia
Philadelphia runs a cost-of-living index of 115, around 15% above the U.S. average. The premium is real but manageable — most trade wages here clear the cost-of-living gap thanks to strong demand and a deeper labor market. Workers should still factor housing carefully when comparing job offers between Philadelphia and lower-cost metros.
The single highest-paying trade in Philadelphia is Construction Manager, with a median wage of $123,460 per BLS OEWS data. Power Line Installer ranks second at $115,770 — a gap of $7,690 between #1 and #2. Wider gaps usually signal a specialty trade with steep certification or experience requirements; narrower gaps indicate broad-based wage strength across multiple skilled occupations in the metro.
Philadelphia's average Trade Pay Score across all tracked trades is 57, a middle-of-the-pack C grade. Some trades in the metro deliver strong real pay; others are dragged down by either weak nominal wages or cost-of-living offsets. Use the table below to identify the trades where Philadelphia compares favorably and the ones where workers may earn more elsewhere.
Trade Salaries in Philadelphia
| Trade | Category | Median | Range (10th-90th) | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Manager | Management | $123,460 | $80,250 – $196,830 | B | 3,310 |
| Power Line Installer | Electrical | $115,770 | $58,550 – $122,890 | B | 1,110 |
| Electrical Power-Line Tech | Electrical | $115,770 | $58,550 – $122,890 | B | 1,110 |
| Elevator Mechanic | Specialty | $114,870 | $67,390 – $149,330 | B | 400 |
| Boilermaker | Industrial | $91,690 | $61,820 – $110,770 | C | 240 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Metalwork | $81,140 | $46,110 – $122,650 | C | 1,170 |
| Mason (Bricklayer) | Construction | $78,570 | $51,990 – $108,890 | D | 1,210 |
| Plasterer | Construction | $76,310 | $54,340 – $96,390 | D | 100 |
| Industrial Electrician | Electrical | $76,060 | $44,030 – $103,150 | B | 1,150 |
| Electrician | Electrical | $74,040 | $45,440 – $130,590 | B | 9,900 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | Automotive | $73,180 | $47,540 – $103,970 | C | 1,040 |
| Crane Operator | Heavy Equipment | $72,630 | $47,770 – $122,000 | C | 570 |
| Plumber | Plumbing | $72,580 | $48,000 – $131,040 | C | 7,570 |
| Pipefitter | Plumbing | $72,580 | $48,000 – $131,040 | C | 7,570 |
| Fire Sprinkler Fitter | Plumbing | $72,580 | $48,000 – $131,040 | C | 7,570 |
| Steamfitter | Plumbing | $72,580 | $48,000 – $131,040 | C | 7,570 |
| Telecommunications Tech | Electrical | $71,200 | $48,580 – $95,310 | C | 2,130 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | Industrial | $69,560 | $49,000 – $95,470 | B | 5,170 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | Heavy Equipment | $66,700 | $47,380 – $110,470 | C | 5,360 |
| Building Inspector | Management | $66,380 | $48,730 – $105,250 | D | 3,010 |
| Millwright | Industrial | $66,340 | $49,130 – $107,100 | C | 300 |
| Tool and Die Maker | Metalwork | $66,020 | $46,790 – $102,670 | D | 540 |
| Ironworker | Structural | $63,630 | $41,140 – $72,580 | D | 90 |
| Drywall Installer | Construction | $63,420 | $44,810 – $73,070 | D | 970 |
| Diesel Mechanic | Automotive | $63,080 | $47,630 – $86,250 | C | 4,360 |
| HVAC Technician | HVAC | $62,830 | $38,240 – $98,340 | C | 8,290 |
| Refrigeration Mechanic | HVAC | $62,830 | $38,240 – $98,340 | C | 8,290 |
| Carpenter | Construction | $62,350 | $42,740 – $106,850 | D | 13,430 |
| Glazier | Construction | $62,110 | $42,570 – $102,040 | C | 760 |
| Concrete Finisher | Construction | $61,560 | $45,480 – $99,000 | D | 1,890 |
| Locksmith | Specialty | $59,800 | $42,120 – $83,740 | D | 250 |
| Environmental Engineering Tech | Specialty | $59,650 | $44,810 – $100,170 | C | 220 |
| Machinist | Metalwork | $59,500 | $40,430 – $78,630 | D | 3,960 |
| Roofer | Construction | $59,280 | $39,510 – $85,950 | D | 1,480 |
| Auto Mechanic | Automotive | $57,830 | $36,500 – $78,410 | D | 12,450 |
| Tile Setter | Construction | $57,780 | $37,070 – $82,280 | D | 320 |
| Floor Layer | Construction | $57,110 | $39,840 – $116,500 | D | 230 |
| Welder | Welding | $56,110 | $41,560 – $74,030 | D | 4,030 |
| Structural Welder | Welding | $56,110 | $41,560 – $74,030 | D | 4,030 |
| Underwater Welder | Welding | $56,110 | $41,560 – $74,030 | D | 4,030 |
| Painter (Construction) | Construction | $55,810 | $37,280 – $80,000 | D | 3,430 |
| Solar PV Installer | Electrical | $54,380 | $48,500 – $88,760 | B | 380 |
| Septic Tank Servicer | Plumbing | $52,000 | $38,590 – $76,320 | D | 510 |
| Maintenance Mechanic | Industrial | $50,610 | $35,220 – $76,990 | D | 23,190 |
| Insulation Worker | Construction | $50,240 | $37,580 – $101,580 | D | 390 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure on this page comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, published annually at bls.gov/oes. BLS surveys hundreds of thousands of employers per release; the resulting percentile wages (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) are the gold standard for U.S. wage benchmarking. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median 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, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in the Philadelphia area are listed on the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov registry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which trade pays the most in Philadelphia?
Construction Manager is the highest-paying skilled trade in Philadelphia, PA, with a median annual wage of $123,460. The 90th-percentile reading reaches $196,830, with apprentices and entry-level workers starting near $80,250. That spread reflects experience, certification, and union membership.
What is the average trade salary in Philadelphia?
The average median wage across all 45 skilled trades tracked in Philadelphia is $69,648. With a cost-of-living index of 115, that converts to $60,563 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Are skilled-trade jobs in Philadelphia growing?
Five-year wage growth across Philadelphia's tracked trades varies by occupation — energy and electrification trades have generally posted the strongest gains, while general construction labor has tracked closer to inflation. Detailed projected employment growth through 2032 for each trade is published in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Where can I find apprenticeships in Philadelphia?
Registered apprenticeship programs are listed on the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov site at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/. You can filter by city, state, and occupation. Most skilled trades require 3-5 years of registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay; the per-trade pages on TradeWages list typical year-by-year apprentice pay as a percentage of journeyman scale.
How does pay in Philadelphia compare to other metros?
Philadelphia's average Trade Pay Score is 57/100, a mid-tier grade. The score combines nominal pay, 5-year wage growth, employment depth, and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power, so it captures both how much you earn and how far that income goes locally. Compare Philadelphia against other metros on the best-cities-for-trades ranking page.
Skilled-trade workers in Philadelphia, PA earn an average median wage of $69,648 across 45 tracked trades, per 2024 BLS OEWS data. With a cost-of-living index of 115, that translates to roughly $60,563 in U.S.-average purchasing power. The top-paying trade in the metro is Construction Manager at $123,460.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.