Highest-Paying Trades in Massachusetts 2026

42 skilled trades tracked in Massachusetts metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $156,590 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$156,590	1	75
2	Elevator Mechanic	$143,180	1	71
3	Pile Driver Operator	$118,960	1	63
4	Power Line Installer	$115,430	1	75
5	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$115,430	1	75
6	Glazier	$105,080	1	64
7	Aircraft Mechanic	$95,690	1	62
8	Mason (Bricklayer)	$91,880	1	48
9	Plasterer	$85,810	1	45
10	Plumber	$83,640	1	60
11	Pipefitter	$83,640	1	60
12	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$83,640	1	60
13	Steamfitter	$83,640	1	57
14	Electrician	$83,450	1	67
15	Telecommunications Tech	$80,880	1	52
16	Building Inspector	$79,560	1	48
17	Industrial Electrician	$79,020	1	63
18	HVAC Technician	$77,600	1	60
19	Refrigeration Mechanic	$77,600	1	58
20	Crane Operator	$75,980	1	53
21	Tool and Die Maker	$75,730	1	39
22	Carpenter	$73,800	1	49
23	Heavy Equipment Operator	$73,680	1	51
24	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$73,170	1	65
25	Diesel Mechanic	$72,290	1	52
26	Drywall Installer	$71,400	1	40
27	Roofer	$70,710	1	47
28	Sheet Metal Worker	$69,040	1	47
29	Concrete Finisher	$65,790	1	43
30	Millwright	$65,470	1	49
31	Floor Layer	$64,160	1	36
32	Machinist	$63,600	1	37
33	Locksmith	$62,670	1	45
34	Welder	$62,240	1	47
35	Structural Welder	$62,240	1	47
36	Underwater Welder	$62,240	1	45
37	Auto Mechanic	$59,390	1	41
38	Maintenance Mechanic	$57,960	1	45
39	Insulation Worker	$57,150	1	42
40	Painter (Construction)	$56,810	1	33
41	Septic Tank Servicer	$56,180	1	36
42	Environmental Engineering Tech	$56,100	1	47

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Construction Manager is the highest-paying skilled trade in Massachusetts with a median salary of $156,590 across 1 metro areas.

We track 42 skilled trades across metro areas in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts →

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.