Highest-Paying Trades in Michigan 2026

41 skilled trades tracked in Michigan metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $108,560 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$108,560	1	75
2	Power Line Installer	$106,360	1	80
3	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$106,360	1	80
4	Boilermaker	$96,510	1	59
5	Crane Operator	$84,470	1	69
6	Millwright	$83,860	1	71
7	Plumber	$81,480	1	74
8	Pipefitter	$81,480	1	74
9	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$81,480	1	74
10	Steamfitter	$81,480	1	71
11	Electrician	$80,330	1	81
12	Aircraft Mechanic	$74,490	1	69
13	Building Inspector	$72,460	1	61
14	Tool and Die Maker	$72,300	1	52
15	Heavy Equipment Operator	$65,210	1	63
16	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$65,110	1	77
17	Carpenter	$65,060	1	61
18	Industrial Electrician	$63,430	1	73
19	Telecommunications Tech	$62,870	1	60
20	Concrete Finisher	$62,650	1	58
21	Mason (Bricklayer)	$62,540	1	51
22	Sheet Metal Worker	$61,750	1	60
23	HVAC Technician	$61,140	1	69
24	Refrigeration Mechanic	$61,140	1	67
25	Roofer	$60,590	1	58
26	Diesel Mechanic	$60,550	1	63
27	Locksmith	$60,100	1	60
28	Glazier	$59,240	1	63
29	Machinist	$57,240	1	50
30	Drywall Installer	$56,330	1	49
31	Tile Setter	$56,210	1	49
32	Painter (Construction)	$55,430	1	50
33	Floor Layer	$51,540	1	46
34	Auto Mechanic	$50,700	1	53
35	Welder	$50,250	1	57
36	Structural Welder	$50,250	1	57
37	Underwater Welder	$50,250	1	55
38	Septic Tank Servicer	$50,250	1	50
39	Environmental Engineering Tech	$48,500	1	59
40	Maintenance Mechanic	$48,290	1	55
41	Insulation Worker	$47,560	1	52

Skilled trade wage data for Michigan 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 Michigan with a median salary of $108,560 across 1 metro areas.

We track 41 skilled trades across metro areas in Michigan 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 Michigan →

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.