Highest-Paying Trades in Missouri 2026

44 skilled trades tracked in Missouri metro areas. The top-paying trade is Elevator Mechanic at $121,960 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Elevator Mechanic	$121,960	1	71
2	Construction Manager	$105,400	2	75
3	Power Line Installer	$100,270	2	80
4	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$100,270	2	80
5	Sheet Metal Worker	$81,825	2	67
6	Electrician	$76,920	2	79
7	Millwright	$75,930	2	69
8	Mason (Bricklayer)	$73,820	2	55
9	Plumber	$72,830	2	71
10	Pipefitter	$72,830	2	71
11	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$72,830	2	71
12	Steamfitter	$72,830	2	68
13	Heavy Equipment Operator	$71,840	2	65
14	Tool and Die Maker	$71,270	2	51
15	Aircraft Mechanic	$67,230	2	66
16	Plasterer	$64,720	2	50
17	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$64,435	2	77
18	Building Inspector	$63,120	2	57
19	Carpenter	$63,065	2	60
20	Telecommunications Tech	$63,015	2	59
21	Diesel Mechanic	$62,395	2	63
22	Wind Turbine Technician	$61,900	1	92
23	HVAC Technician	$61,480	2	69
24	Refrigeration Mechanic	$61,480	2	67
25	Concrete Finisher	$60,870	2	57
26	Tile Setter	$60,730	2	50
27	Drywall Installer	$59,675	2	50
28	Environmental Engineering Tech	$58,890	1	65
29	Crane Operator	$58,810	2	59
30	Floor Layer	$58,305	2	48
31	Roofer	$57,870	2	56
32	Machinist	$57,615	2	50
33	Solar PV Installer	$57,200	1	88
34	Glazier	$56,305	2	62
35	Painter (Construction)	$52,955	2	47
36	Industrial Electrician	$52,365	2	67
37	Welder	$51,600	2	57
38	Structural Welder	$51,600	2	57
39	Underwater Welder	$51,600	2	55
40	Maintenance Mechanic	$50,710	2	55
41	Septic Tank Servicer	$50,385	2	49
42	Insulation Worker	$50,365	2	52
43	Locksmith	$49,865	2	53
44	Auto Mechanic	$48,940	2	51

Skilled trade wage data for Missouri 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 Missouri with a median salary of $121,960 across 1 metro areas.

We track 44 skilled trades across metro areas in Missouri 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 Missouri →

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.