Highest-Paying Trades in Tennessee 2026

42 skilled trades tracked in Tennessee metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $106,050 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$106,050	1	75
2	Boilermaker	$90,210	1	58
3	Ironworker	$85,340	1	65
4	Power Line Installer	$77,280	1	75
5	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$77,280	1	75
6	Aircraft Mechanic	$76,550	1	66
7	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$65,280	1	74
8	Mason (Bricklayer)	$64,620	1	49
9	Millwright	$64,440	1	62
10	Building Inspector	$63,680	1	55
11	Tool and Die Maker	$63,670	1	46
12	Industrial Electrician	$62,050	1	69
13	Electrician	$61,130	1	71
14	Diesel Mechanic	$60,840	1	60
15	Environmental Engineering Tech	$60,740	1	63
16	Sheet Metal Worker	$60,510	1	57
17	Plumber	$59,870	1	62
18	Pipefitter	$59,870	1	62
19	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$59,870	1	62
20	Steamfitter	$59,870	1	59
21	HVAC Technician	$59,840	1	64
22	Refrigeration Mechanic	$59,840	1	62
23	Telecommunications Tech	$59,640	1	54
24	Septic Tank Servicer	$54,650	1	48
25	Carpenter	$53,730	1	51
26	Welder	$50,660	1	51
27	Structural Welder	$50,660	1	51
28	Underwater Welder	$50,660	1	49
29	Heavy Equipment Operator	$49,640	1	51
30	Crane Operator	$49,350	1	51
31	Machinist	$49,280	1	41
32	Glazier	$48,680	1	53
33	Auto Mechanic	$48,310	1	47
34	Maintenance Mechanic	$48,260	1	51
35	Drywall Installer	$47,640	1	38
36	Concrete Finisher	$47,440	1	45
37	Insulation Worker	$47,210	1	46
38	Locksmith	$46,750	1	47
39	Tile Setter	$46,030	1	38
40	Roofer	$45,440	1	45
41	Painter (Construction)	$43,470	1	37
42	Floor Layer	$41,350	1	34

Skilled trade wage data for Tennessee 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 Tennessee with a median salary of $106,050 across 1 metro areas.

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

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.