Highest-Paying Trades in Washington 2026

43 skilled trades tracked in Washington metro areas. The top-paying trade is Construction Manager at $138,970 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Construction Manager	$138,970	1	75
2	Elevator Mechanic	$137,040	1	71
3	Power Line Installer	$130,730	1	79
4	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$130,730	1	79
5	Ironworker	$117,110	1	63
6	Industrial Electrician	$106,960	1	73
7	Crane Operator	$106,010	1	63
8	Tool and Die Maker	$103,200	1	48
9	Sheet Metal Worker	$102,680	1	60
10	Electrician	$101,600	1	74
11	Mason (Bricklayer)	$101,120	1	51
12	Building Inspector	$100,330	1	56
13	Environmental Engineering Tech	$97,240	1	65
14	Plumber	$87,160	1	62
15	Pipefitter	$87,160	1	62
16	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$87,160	1	62
17	Steamfitter	$87,160	1	59
18	Aircraft Mechanic	$86,010	1	59
19	Heavy Equipment Operator	$85,520	1	57
20	Millwright	$84,140	1	59
21	Diesel Mechanic	$80,850	1	56
22	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$77,680	1	67
23	Telecommunications Tech	$77,210	1	50
24	Drywall Installer	$77,030	1	42
25	Carpenter	$76,760	1	51
26	HVAC Technician	$75,500	1	60
27	Refrigeration Mechanic	$75,500	1	58
28	Glazier	$75,400	1	55
29	Concrete Finisher	$74,700	1	49
30	Machinist	$73,790	1	43
31	Tile Setter	$73,310	1	40
32	Welder	$64,510	1	47
33	Structural Welder	$64,510	1	47
34	Underwater Welder	$64,510	1	45
35	Septic Tank Servicer	$62,830	1	40
36	Roofer	$62,110	1	43
37	Auto Mechanic	$60,450	1	43
38	Maintenance Mechanic	$59,590	1	45
39	Plasterer	$59,420	1	33
40	Painter (Construction)	$59,270	1	35
41	Locksmith	$58,800	1	43
42	Floor Layer	$53,230	1	32
43	Insulation Worker	$49,470	1	38

Skilled trade wage data for Washington 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 Washington with a median salary of $138,970 across 1 metro areas.

We track 43 skilled trades across metro areas in Washington 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 Washington →

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.