Wages & Compensation
Wage Growth
The percentage increase in median pay for a trade over a specified period, typically measured over five years using BLS data.
What It Means for Trade Workers
Wage growth measures how much the median salary for a given trade has increased over a defined period. TradeWages tracks five-year wage growth using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, comparing current-year medians to figures from five years prior. Positive wage growth indicates a trade where pay is rising, often driven by labor shortages, increased demand for construction and infrastructure, or the retirement of experienced workers. Negative or flat wage growth may signal oversupply, automation pressure, or declining demand in a particular sector. Among the 50 trades tracked by TradeWages, growth rates vary widely. Trades tied to renewable energy, data-center construction, and electric-vehicle infrastructure have seen some of the highest growth, while trades in sectors facing automation or offshoring pressures have lagged. Wage growth contributes 25 percent to the Trade Pay Score because it signals trajectory: a trade with moderate current pay but strong growth may ultimately be more lucrative than one with high current pay but stagnant wages. For career changers and apprenticeship candidates, wage growth is one of the most important factors to consider because it predicts future earning potential over a 30 to 40 year career, not just the starting salary.
Frequently Asked Questions
The percentage increase in median pay for a trade over a specified period, typically measured over five years using BLS data.
Wage growth measures how much the median salary for a given trade has increased over a defined period. TradeWages tracks five-year wage growth using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, comparing current-year medians to figures from five years prior. Positive wage growth indicates a trade where pay is rising, often driven by labor shortages, increased demand for construction and infrastructure, or the retirement of experienced workers.