Highest-Paying Trades in Minnesota 2026

42 skilled trades tracked in Minnesota metro areas. The top-paying trade is Elevator Mechanic at $124,740 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Elevator Mechanic	$124,740	1	71
2	Construction Manager	$120,250	1	75
3	Power Line Installer	$109,590	1	80
4	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$109,590	1	80
5	Boilermaker	$102,740	1	59
6	Plumber	$97,020	1	74
7	Pipefitter	$97,020	1	74
8	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$97,020	1	74
9	Steamfitter	$97,020	1	71
10	Electrician	$95,090	1	81
11	Mason (Bricklayer)	$89,590	1	56
12	Building Inspector	$88,100	1	62
13	Aircraft Mechanic	$86,640	1	68
14	Heavy Equipment Operator	$81,770	1	65
15	Industrial Electrician	$79,640	1	74
16	Roofer	$79,040	1	60
17	HVAC Technician	$76,090	1	70
18	Refrigeration Mechanic	$76,090	1	68
19	Carpenter	$75,710	1	61
20	Millwright	$74,130	1	64
21	Environmental Engineering Tech	$72,950	1	66
22	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$72,940	1	76
23	Telecommunications Tech	$72,470	1	59
24	Crane Operator	$71,890	1	62
25	Glazier	$71,130	1	63
26	Diesel Mechanic	$68,750	1	62
27	Concrete Finisher	$68,640	1	57
28	Tool and Die Maker	$68,340	1	46
29	Plasterer	$68,220	1	48
30	Drywall Installer	$65,250	1	49
31	Tile Setter	$62,610	1	48
32	Sheet Metal Worker	$62,550	1	57
33	Septic Tank Servicer	$62,310	1	52
34	Auto Mechanic	$61,780	1	53
35	Locksmith	$61,420	1	55
36	Painter (Construction)	$61,230	1	47
37	Machinist	$60,470	1	47
38	Welder	$60,340	1	57
39	Structural Welder	$60,340	1	57
40	Underwater Welder	$60,340	1	55
41	Maintenance Mechanic	$59,970	1	57
42	Insulation Worker	$56,590	1	52

Skilled trade wage data for Minnesota 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 Minnesota with a median salary of $124,740 across 1 metro areas.

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

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.