Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Highest Paying Trades in Seattle
Skilled-trade workers in Seattle, WA earn an average median wage of $84,522 across 43 tracked trades, per 2024 BLS OEWS data. With a cost-of-living index of 149, that translates to roughly $56,726 in U.S.-average purchasing power. The top-paying trade in the metro is Construction Manager at $138,970.
Cost of Living and Real Pay in Seattle
Seattle's cost-of-living index of 149 is well above the U.S. average — roughly 49% more expensive to live there than in a typical American city. Housing is the dominant driver in nearly every high-COL metro, with groceries, transportation, and services compounding the gap. Trades workers in Seattle need substantially higher nominal pay to match the purchasing power of a journeyman in a mid-cost metro.
The single highest-paying trade in Seattle is Construction Manager, with a median wage of $138,970 per BLS OEWS data. Elevator Mechanic ranks second at $137,040 — a gap of $1,930 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.
Seattle's average Trade Pay Score across all tracked trades is 54, 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 Seattle compares favorably and the ones where workers may earn more elsewhere.
Trade Salaries in Seattle
| Trade | Category | Median | Range (10th-90th) | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Manager | Management | $138,970 | $100,310 – $211,240 | B | 4,220 |
| Elevator Mechanic | Specialty | $137,040 | $75,640 – $155,970 | B | 770 |
| Power Line Installer | Electrical | $130,730 | $69,010 – $147,680 | B | 1,040 |
| Electrical Power-Line Tech | Electrical | $130,730 | $69,010 – $147,680 | B | 1,040 |
| Ironworker | Structural | $117,110 | $56,020 – $118,980 | C | 160 |
| Industrial Electrician | Electrical | $106,960 | $77,550 – $114,550 | B | 850 |
| Crane Operator | Heavy Equipment | $106,010 | $65,450 – $128,620 | C | 470 |
| Tool and Die Maker | Metalwork | $103,200 | $55,470 – $108,160 | D | 840 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Metalwork | $102,680 | $55,420 – $145,690 | C | 2,340 |
| Electrician | Electrical | $101,600 | $59,020 – $139,230 | B | 9,160 |
| Mason (Bricklayer) | Construction | $101,120 | $60,430 – $114,010 | D | 420 |
| Building Inspector | Management | $100,330 | $63,610 – $121,000 | C | 1,630 |
| Environmental Engineering Tech | Specialty | $97,240 | $53,840 – $101,900 | C | 180 |
| Plumber | Plumbing | $87,160 | $50,630 – $148,620 | C | 6,540 |
| Pipefitter | Plumbing | $87,160 | $50,630 – $148,620 | C | 6,540 |
| Fire Sprinkler Fitter | Plumbing | $87,160 | $50,630 – $148,620 | C | 6,540 |
| Steamfitter | Plumbing | $87,160 | $50,630 – $148,620 | C | 6,540 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | Automotive | $86,010 | $56,730 – $109,540 | C | 3,670 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | Heavy Equipment | $85,520 | $58,600 – $125,410 | C | 4,470 |
| Millwright | Industrial | $84,140 | $60,540 – $164,060 | C | 410 |
| Diesel Mechanic | Automotive | $80,850 | $59,410 – $105,340 | C | 3,540 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | Industrial | $77,680 | $51,750 – $110,160 | C | 4,480 |
| Telecommunications Tech | Electrical | $77,210 | $49,890 – $98,870 | D | 1,880 |
| Drywall Installer | Construction | $77,030 | $53,410 – $113,380 | D | 2,390 |
| Carpenter | Construction | $76,760 | $52,870 – $116,660 | D | 15,210 |
| HVAC Technician | HVAC | $75,500 | $47,660 – $137,000 | C | 3,590 |
| Refrigeration Mechanic | HVAC | $75,500 | $47,660 – $137,000 | C | 3,590 |
| Glazier | Construction | $75,400 | $60,120 – $130,360 | C | 1,150 |
| Concrete Finisher | Construction | $74,700 | $55,870 – $132,930 | D | 2,550 |
| Machinist | Metalwork | $73,790 | $48,630 – $107,240 | D | 4,270 |
| Tile Setter | Construction | $73,310 | $55,260 – $100,000 | D | 610 |
| Welder | Welding | $64,510 | $49,210 – $88,200 | D | 3,270 |
| Structural Welder | Welding | $64,510 | $49,210 – $88,200 | D | 3,270 |
| Underwater Welder | Welding | $64,510 | $49,210 – $88,200 | D | 3,270 |
| Septic Tank Servicer | Plumbing | $62,830 | $49,110 – $85,590 | D | 780 |
| Roofer | Construction | $62,110 | $48,410 – $104,000 | D | 2,500 |
| Auto Mechanic | Automotive | $60,450 | $39,700 – $93,470 | D | 7,230 |
| Maintenance Mechanic | Industrial | $59,590 | $44,190 – $83,850 | D | 17,370 |
| Plasterer | Construction | $59,420 | $47,020 – $108,580 | F | 190 |
| Painter (Construction) | Construction | $59,270 | $46,660 – $80,600 | F | 4,720 |
| Locksmith | Specialty | $58,800 | $39,850 – $78,280 | D | 190 |
| Floor Layer | Construction | $53,230 | $42,410 – $80,760 | F | 480 |
| Insulation Worker | Construction | $49,470 | $37,970 – $74,550 | F | 530 |
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 Seattle area are listed on the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov registry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which trade pays the most in Seattle?
Construction Manager is the highest-paying skilled trade in Seattle, WA, with a median annual wage of $138,970. The 90th-percentile reading reaches $211,240, with apprentices and entry-level workers starting near $100,310. That spread reflects experience, certification, and union membership.
What is the average trade salary in Seattle?
The average median wage across all 43 skilled trades tracked in Seattle is $84,522. With a cost-of-living index of 149, that converts to $56,726 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Are skilled-trade jobs in Seattle growing?
Five-year wage growth across Seattle'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 Seattle?
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 Seattle compare to other metros?
Seattle's average Trade Pay Score is 54/100, 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 Seattle against other metros on the best-cities-for-trades ranking page.
Skilled-trade workers in Seattle, WA earn an average median wage of $84,522 across 43 tracked trades, per 2024 BLS OEWS data. With a cost-of-living index of 149, that translates to roughly $56,726 in U.S.-average purchasing power. The top-paying trade in the metro is Construction Manager at $138,970.
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.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.