Highest-Paying Trade Jobs
Answer
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($109,910), Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730) top this list. Trades here are construction, extraction, installation, maintenance, repair and production occupations that do not typically need a bachelor's degree. Energy and utility jobs lead, followed by elevator mechanics and line workers; many are learned through paid apprenticeships of three to five years or long on-the-job training.
How this ranking works
Includes: Construction and extraction (SOC 47), installation, maintenance and repair (SOC 49) and production (SOC 51) occupations whose BLS typical entry education is below a bachelor's degree; at least 5,000 US jobs. Ranked by: Median annual wage. Data: BLS OEWS, May 2025; typical entry education from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Occupations without a published median and the residual “all other” categories are left out. Methodology
| 1 | Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | $122,890 | $59.08 | 5,150 | High school diploma or equivalent | −5.9% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $109,910 | $52.84 | 23,790 | High school diploma or equivalent | +5.7% |
| 3 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $106,730 | $51.31 | 8,520 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.2% |
| 4 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $103,020 | $49.53 | 20,720 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +9.7% |
| 5 | Power Plant Operators | $102,040 | $49.06 | 29,320 | High school diploma or equivalent | −5.1% |
| 6 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $96,710 | $46.50 | 33,160 | High school diploma or equivalent | −1.9% |
| 7 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $95,320 | $45.83 | 131,070 | High school diploma or equivalent | +10.3% |
| 8 | Signal and Track Switch Repairers | $92,460 | $44.45 | 8,720 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.8% |
| 9 | Gas Plant Operators | $87,820 | $42.22 | 18,030 | High school diploma or equivalent | −6.0% |
| 10 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | $84,890 | $40.81 | 6,940 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.4% |
| 11 | Avionics Technicians | $82,280 | $39.56 | 18,830 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +9.4% |
| 12 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,920 | $38.42 | 812,210 | High school diploma or equivalent | +5.0% |
| 13 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $79,870 | $38.40 | 138,090 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.4% |
| 14 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $79,860 | $38.39 | 617,500 | High school diploma or equivalent | +4.1% |
| 15 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $78,620 | $37.80 | 28,250 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.1% |
| 16 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | $78,120 | $37.56 | 16,610 | High school diploma or equivalent | −5.2% |
| 17 | Boilermakers | $76,410 | $36.74 | 10,190 | High school diploma or equivalent | −1.8% |
| 18 | Construction and Building Inspectors | $74,690 | $35.91 | 146,720 | High school diploma or equivalent | 0.0% |
| 19 | Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,500 | $35.82 | 5,930 | No formal educational credential | −15.8% |
| 20 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | $35.79 | 673,430 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.8% |
| 21 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $74,340 | $35.74 | 48,240 | High school diploma or equivalent | +4.3% |
| 22 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $74,330 | $35.73 | 97,720 | High school diploma or equivalent | −3.4% |
| 23 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | $74,090 | $35.62 | 65,010 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +0.3% |
| 24 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $70,070 | $33.69 | 19,580 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.5% |
| 25 | Tapers | $68,270 | $32.82 | 12,840 | No formal educational credential | −1.6% |
| 26 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $68,120 | $32.75 | 28,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.9% |
| 27 | Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $67,890 | $32.64 | 12,600 | No formal educational credential | +0.8% |
| 28 | Rail Car Repairers | $67,530 | $32.46 | 21,350 | High school diploma or equivalent | +2.6% |
| 29 | Millwrights | $65,700 | $31.59 | 40,330 | High school diploma or equivalent | +0.9% |
| 30 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $65,510 | $31.50 | 176,600 | High school diploma or equivalent | +6.7% |
| 31 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $65,380 | $31.43 | 34,020 | High school diploma or equivalent | −5.6% |
| 32 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,520 | $31.02 | 439,640 | High school diploma or equivalent | +17.8% |
| 33 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | $64,120 | $30.83 | 9,980 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +29.5% |
| 34 | Tool and Die Makers | $64,050 | $30.79 | 56,930 | Postsecondary nondegree award | −9.2% |
| 35 | Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | $63,890 | $30.72 | 140,920 | Postsecondary nondegree award | −3.3% |
| 36 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | $63,870 | $30.71 | 5,970 | High school diploma or equivalent | −3.4% |
| 37 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $63,800 | $30.67 | 465,840 | High school diploma or equivalent | +6.8% |
| 38 | Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | $63,520 | $30.54 | 11,140 | Associate's degree | +1.2% |
| 39 | Electricians | $63,190 | $30.38 | 757,220 | High school diploma or equivalent | +9.2% |
| 40 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $62,780 | $30.18 | 68,380 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.1% |
BLS OEWS, May 2025, national cross-industry estimates; projections and typical entry education from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Occupation names are the official BLS titles; linked names have a full pay and how-to-become page on this site.