Scaffold Builder Salary (2025)
Construction · SOC Code 47-2225 · 3-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Scaffold Builder salaries range from $36,201 to $57,839 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Scaffold Builder Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $57,839 | $36,695 – $82,828 | $30,930 | F | 5,455 |
| San Francisco, CA | $55,891 | $34,132 – $79,140 | $29,416 | F | 5,988 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $53,351 | $33,437 – $77,017 | $32,139 | F | 5,823 |
| Seattle, WA | $51,432 | $32,431 – $75,303 | $34,518 | F | 3,669 |
| Boston, MA | $50,229 | $30,808 – $71,144 | $33,045 | F | 5,110 |
| Chicago, IL | $49,326 | $29,919 – $71,905 | $46,099 | D | 3,527 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $47,076 | $29,917 – $66,583 | $40,936 | D | 3,071 |
| Dallas, TX | $45,475 | $27,275 – $68,949 | $44,583 | D | 2,807 |
| Portland, OR | $45,044 | $27,740 – $63,711 | $34,649 | F | 4,070 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $45,044 | $29,171 – $69,685 | $43,312 | D | 3,217 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $44,725 | $28,542 – $65,749 | $48,614 | D | 3,041 |
| St. Louis, MO | $44,137 | $28,680 – $68,232 | $49,041 | D | 1,800 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $43,973 | $26,348 – $68,207 | $41,484 | D | 2,349 |
| Denver, CO | $43,956 | $26,074 – $63,722 | $34,341 | F | 2,375 |
| Houston, TX | $43,953 | $26,368 – $66,159 | $45,784 | D | 1,930 |
| Charlotte, NC | $43,358 | $25,762 – $64,226 | $44,243 | D | 1,951 |
| Detroit, MI | $43,224 | $25,647 – $65,846 | $48,566 | D | 3,092 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $42,955 | $26,655 – $63,105 | $47,203 | D | 2,654 |
| Miami, FL | $42,495 | $25,807 – $64,466 | $34,832 | F | 3,763 |
| Atlanta, GA | $42,266 | $26,846 – $60,453 | $39,874 | D | 3,680 |
| Tampa, FL | $42,223 | $25,018 – $59,885 | $41,805 | D | 2,349 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $42,079 | $26,548 – $63,206 | $40,461 | D | 3,195 |
| Raleigh, NC | $42,048 | $26,289 – $62,216 | $42,048 | D | 2,630 |
| Nashville, TN | $41,796 | $25,105 – $62,948 | $40,579 | D | 3,361 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $41,658 | $25,335 – $62,172 | $43,394 | D | 2,488 |
| New Orleans, LA | $40,590 | $25,320 – $61,033 | $42,726 | D | 3,065 |
| Kansas City, MO | $40,055 | $24,651 – $59,645 | $42,612 | D | 2,615 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $39,175 | $23,691 – $56,088 | $38,034 | D | 2,369 |
| Columbus, OH | $37,996 | $24,625 – $55,161 | $40,856 | D | 2,294 |
| San Antonio, TX | $36,201 | $21,450 – $51,906 | $40,223 | D | 2,125 |
About Scaffold Builder Pay
Scaffold Builders earn a national median salary of $44,652 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is New York at $57,839 median, while San Antonio offers the lowest at $36,201.
Becoming a scaffold builder typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $36,695, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $82,828 or more. With 5% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Construction Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for scaffold builders is $44,652 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $36,201 to $57,839 depending on city, experience, and union status.
New York offers the highest median pay for scaffold builders at $57,839. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and 5% wage growth over 5 years, scaffold builder offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 95,863 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a scaffold builder typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $36,695 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.