Highest-Paying Trades in North Carolina 2026

50 skilled trades tracked in North Carolina metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $101,830 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2025).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$101,830	2	83
2	Elevator Mechanic	$93,873	2	89
3	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$84,092	2	88
4	Power Line Installer	$78,327	2	86
5	Underwater Welder	$75,025	2	66
6	Pile Driver Operator	$70,504	2	63
7	Aircraft Mechanic	$69,718	2	69
8	Building Inspector	$63,495	2	61
9	Crane Operator	$63,325	2	71
10	Steamfitter	$62,516	2	65
11	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$61,931	2	72
12	Boilermaker	$61,131	2	55
13	Pipefitter	$60,030	2	69
14	Electrician	$59,927	2	73
15	Millwright	$59,319	2	64
16	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$58,329	2	68
17	Telecommunications Tech	$57,541	2	67
18	Wind Turbine Technician	$57,215	2	88
19	Industrial Electrician	$57,002	2	70
20	Ironworker	$55,663	2	61
21	Plumber	$55,375	2	71
22	HVAC Technician	$54,997	2	76
23	Carpenter	$53,881	2	55
24	Tool and Die Maker	$53,580	2	46
25	Refrigeration Mechanic	$51,719	2	67
26	Sheet Metal Worker	$51,538	2	55
27	Mason (Bricklayer)	$50,607	2	49
28	Drywall Installer	$50,414	2	48
29	Diesel Mechanic	$50,365	2	58
30	Heavy Equipment Operator	$49,834	2	56
31	Structural Welder	$49,811	2	56
32	Welder	$49,294	2	57
33	Concrete Finisher	$46,958	2	51
34	Machinist	$46,833	2	50
35	Auto Mechanic	$46,495	2	45
36	Well Driller	$46,384	2	46
37	Solar PV Installer	$46,383	2	80
38	Glazier	$46,354	2	50
39	Environmental Engineering Tech	$46,281	2	60
40	Tile Setter	$45,514	2	46
41	Maintenance Mechanic	$45,263	2	53
42	Roofer	$45,112	2	48
43	Plasterer	$44,937	2	40
44	Painter (Construction)	$44,453	2	41
45	Floor Layer	$43,813	2	44
46	Locksmith	$43,568	2	41
47	Insulation Worker	$43,143	2	52
48	Scaffold Builder	$42,703	2	44
49	Septic Tank Servicer	$41,615	2	42
50	CNC Machine Operator	$41,479	2	43

Skilled trade wage data for North Carolina 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 North Carolina with a median salary of $101,830 across 2 metro areas.

We track 50 skilled trades across metro areas in North Carolina 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 North Carolina →