Grade C Trades — Fair (2025)
Average trades with moderate pay and growth. Decent options but not standout performers.
Grade C Trades
| Rank | Trade | Category | Median | Score | 5yr Growth | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Underwater Welder | Welding | $80,828 | 64 | +7% | 123,225 |
| 2 | Aircraft Mechanic | Automotive | $76,453 | 68 | +10% | 158,768 |
| 3 | Pile Driver Operator | Heavy Equipment | $73,688 | 61 | +6% | 130,092 |
| 4 | Steamfitter | Plumbing | $70,357 | 65 | +9% | 152,414 |
| 5 | Building Inspector | Management | $70,280 | 60 | +6% | 127,827 |
| 6 | Boilermaker | Industrial | $67,891 | 55 | +5% | 91,532 |
| 7 | Pipefitter | Plumbing | $67,249 | 68 | +11% | 165,255 |
| 8 | Crane Operator | Heavy Equipment | $67,153 | 68 | +11% | 173,474 |
| 9 | Millwright | Industrial | $65,704 | 64 | +10% | 152,586 |
| 10 | Telecommunications Tech | Electrical | $65,077 | 67 | +10% | 175,867 |
| 11 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | Industrial | $63,930 | 67 | +11% | 169,437 |
| 12 | Ironworker | Structural | $61,718 | 61 | +9% | 146,883 |
| 13 | Carpenter | Construction | $60,859 | 56 | +6% | 123,581 |
| 14 | Sheet Metal Worker | Metalwork | $58,967 | 56 | +7% | 122,066 |
| 15 | Diesel Mechanic | Automotive | $58,284 | 59 | +9% | 143,565 |
| 16 | Refrigeration Mechanic | HVAC | $57,855 | 67 | +13% | 172,459 |
| 17 | Heavy Equipment Operator | Heavy Equipment | $56,984 | 57 | +8% | 143,431 |
| 18 | Structural Welder | Welding | $55,913 | 57 | +8% | 150,703 |
| 19 | Environmental Engineering Tech | Specialty | $53,466 | 61 | +11% | 170,366 |
Frequently Asked Questions
A Grade C (Fair) Trade Pay Score indicates average trades with moderate pay and growth. decent options but not standout performers. The score is a composite of median wage vs. metro income, 5-year wage growth, job demand, and cost-of-living-adjusted pay.
There are 19 trades with a Grade C Trade Pay Score, representing approximately 2,793,531 total jobs. The average median salary for Grade C trades is $64,877.
Grade C trades offer moderate career prospects. They can be good options depending on your local market, personal interest, and willingness to specialize.
Wage data from BLS OEWS 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.