Highest-Paying Trades in California 2026

50 skilled trades tracked in California metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $133,885 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2025).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$133,885	2	78
2	Elevator Mechanic	$126,318	2	83
3	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$104,801	2	79
4	Power Line Installer	$102,212	2	78
5	Underwater Welder	$99,757	2	57
6	Aircraft Mechanic	$92,141	2	59
7	Pile Driver Operator	$87,625	2	52
8	Building Inspector	$87,453	2	52
9	Steamfitter	$84,871	2	56
10	Millwright	$83,546	2	56
11	Industrial Electrician	$83,217	2	63
12	Crane Operator	$82,502	2	60
13	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$81,031	2	61
14	Plumber	$80,224	2	63
15	Boilermaker	$80,089	2	45
16	Telecommunications Tech	$78,748	2	58
17	Pipefitter	$78,701	2	59
18	Electrician	$76,860	2	62
19	Wind Turbine Technician	$76,415	2	79
20	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$76,088	2	58
21	Ironworker	$75,122	2	52
22	Sheet Metal Worker	$74,158	2	48
23	HVAC Technician	$72,939	2	66
24	Tool and Die Maker	$72,882	2	37
25	Refrigeration Mechanic	$71,523	2	59
26	Carpenter	$70,859	2	45
27	Diesel Mechanic	$70,067	2	50
28	Mason (Bricklayer)	$68,857	2	41
29	Structural Welder	$68,221	2	48
30	Drywall Installer	$67,894	2	40
31	Machinist	$65,434	2	44
32	Heavy Equipment Operator	$65,158	2	47
33	Environmental Engineering Tech	$64,125	2	54
34	Tile Setter	$63,790	2	39
35	Glazier	$63,475	2	43
36	Insulation Worker	$63,315	2	47
37	Auto Mechanic	$62,177	2	37
38	Floor Layer	$62,017	2	38
39	Welder	$61,430	2	46
40	Well Driller	$61,096	2	38
41	Plasterer	$61,065	2	32
42	Solar PV Installer	$60,956	2	71
43	Septic Tank Servicer	$60,608	2	36
44	Locksmith	$60,245	2	33
45	Maintenance Mechanic	$60,187	2	45
46	Roofer	$60,029	2	41
47	Concrete Finisher	$58,727	2	42
48	Painter (Construction)	$58,124	2	33
49	CNC Machine Operator	$56,028	2	36
50	Scaffold Builder	$54,621	2	36

Skilled trade wage data for California is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program.
— BLS OEWS (2025)

Frequently Asked Questions

Construction Manager is the highest-paying skilled trade in California with a median salary of $133,885 across 2 metro areas.

We track 50 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 →