Highest-Paying Trades in Pennsylvania 2026

45 skilled trades tracked in Pennsylvania metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $112,895 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$112,895	2	75
2	Elevator Mechanic	$112,420	2	71
3	Power Line Installer	$110,840	2	80
4	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$110,840	2	80
5	Boilermaker	$90,450	2	58
6	Mason (Bricklayer)	$77,305	2	54
7	Sheet Metal Worker	$72,485	2	61
8	Plasterer	$69,955	2	50
9	Plumber	$69,755	2	67
10	Pipefitter	$69,755	2	67
11	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$69,755	2	67
12	Steamfitter	$69,755	2	64
13	Telecommunications Tech	$68,990	2	59
14	Electrician	$68,965	2	73
15	Industrial Electrician	$68,740	2	71
16	Aircraft Mechanic	$68,685	2	63
17	Environmental Engineering Tech	$67,355	2	64
18	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$66,345	2	75
19	Crane Operator	$64,730	2	60
20	Building Inspector	$64,410	2	55
21	Ironworker	$63,630	1	53
22	Heavy Equipment Operator	$63,135	2	59
23	Millwright	$62,660	2	61
24	Tool and Die Maker	$62,440	2	45
25	Drywall Installer	$61,510	2	47
26	Concrete Finisher	$61,455	2	54
27	HVAC Technician	$61,180	2	65
28	Refrigeration Mechanic	$61,180	2	63
29	Carpenter	$61,000	2	56
30	Diesel Mechanic	$60,880	2	59
31	Tile Setter	$60,620	2	47
32	Floor Layer	$55,850	2	45
33	Glazier	$55,755	2	57
34	Machinist	$54,775	2	44
35	Solar PV Installer	$54,380	1	80
36	Roofer	$53,930	2	50
37	Locksmith	$53,890	2	51
38	Welder	$53,595	2	54
39	Structural Welder	$53,595	2	54
40	Underwater Welder	$53,595	2	52
41	Auto Mechanic	$52,975	2	49
42	Painter (Construction)	$52,640	2	43
43	Septic Tank Servicer	$51,820	2	46
44	Insulation Worker	$50,240	1	46
45	Maintenance Mechanic	$49,270	2	51

Skilled trade wage data for Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania with a median salary of $112,895 across 2 metro areas.

We track 45 skilled trades across metro areas in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania →

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.