Highest-Paying Trades in California 2026

47 skilled trades tracked in California metro areas. The top-paying trade is Elevator Mechanic at $150,470 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Elevator Mechanic	$150,470	2	69
2	Construction Manager	$144,800	2	72
3	Power Line Installer	$128,140	2	75
4	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$128,140	2	75
5	Boilermaker	$123,195	2	52
6	Pile Driver Operator	$118,435	2	59
7	Building Inspector	$114,315	2	56
8	Wind Turbine Technician	$105,370	1	91
9	Heavy Equipment Operator	$105,285	2	59
10	Millwright	$97,420	2	57
11	Aircraft Mechanic	$92,935	2	56
12	Sheet Metal Worker	$88,350	2	50
13	Environmental Engineering Tech	$86,680	2	55
14	Electrician	$84,935	2	62
15	Tool and Die Maker	$82,050	2	36
16	Telecommunications Tech	$79,875	2	46
17	Industrial Electrician	$79,735	2	59
18	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$79,120	2	62
19	Diesel Mechanic	$77,655	2	49
20	Carpenter	$77,395	2	46
21	Drywall Installer	$72,335	2	35
22	Concrete Finisher	$71,040	2	41
23	Glazier	$70,925	2	47
24	HVAC Technician	$70,790	2	52
25	Refrigeration Mechanic	$70,790	2	50
26	Auto Mechanic	$68,705	2	41
27	Locksmith	$68,545	2	42
28	Roofer	$68,440	2	41
29	Mason (Bricklayer)	$68,420	2	33
30	Plumber	$68,405	2	50
31	Pipefitter	$68,405	2	50
32	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$68,405	2	50
33	Steamfitter	$68,405	2	47
34	Floor Layer	$68,015	2	33
35	Crane Operator	$65,875	2	43
36	Plasterer	$65,585	2	32
37	Solar PV Installer	$65,025	2	72
38	Ironworker	$61,590	2	40
39	Welder	$61,045	2	42
40	Structural Welder	$61,045	2	42
41	Underwater Welder	$61,045	2	40
42	Painter (Construction)	$59,975	2	32
43	Machinist	$58,465	2	31
44	Maintenance Mechanic	$57,880	2	41
45	Tile Setter	$57,780	2	30
46	Septic Tank Servicer	$57,145	2	34
47	Insulation Worker	$42,990	1	34

Skilled trade wage data for California is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program.
, BLS OEWS (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions

Elevator Mechanic is the highest-paying skilled trade in California with a median salary of $150,470 across 2 metro areas.

We track 47 skilled trades across metro areas in California using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data.

The Trade Pay Score (0-100, A-F) rates each trade-city combination on median wage vs. household income (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), job demand (25%), and cost-of-living adjusted pay (20%).

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS

Trades ranked by median salary across metro areas in the state. Trade Pay Score: wage vs. household income (30%), 5-year growth (25%), job demand (25%), COL-adjusted pay (20%).

Best-Paying Trades Nationwide →All Trade Data for California →

The this entity category groups every U.S. skilled-trade wage data entity sharing this attribute. The list above is the data; the paragraphs below explain what the grouping means against the broader the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey distribution and how to read the relative rankings within the category.

For readers using this category as a starting point, the per-entity detail pages linked from the table above carry the underlying the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey data in full. The category-level view is the filter; the per-entity pages are the actual answer.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES, 2026.