# Best & Worst Paid Trades



## AnonymousGC (Apr 24, 2012)

I was doing some research today on various trades and how much they make. I figured some of you might enjoy a look through these stats. These are from the most recent census data in May 2011. 

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USA Average

This list is of of the median annual earnings on a per-trade basis. This includes everyone from rural to urban, north to south, east to west, union to non-union, cheap labor to experienced labor, etc. Some things are distorted here (elevator guys) since they are concentrated in big cities only where wages are higher.

Occupation Titles - Median Annual Wage
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers - $59,150
Boilermakers - $56,910
Brickmasons and Blockmasons - $46,800
Stonemasons - $36,640
Carpenters - $40,010
Carpet Installers - $36,750
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles - $35,360
Floor Sanders and Finishers - $33,350
Tile and Marble Setters - $37,080
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers - $35,600
Terrazzo Workers and Finishers - $41,240
Construction Laborers - $29,730
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators - $35,270
Pile-Driver Operators - $45,500
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators - $41,510
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers - $36,970
Tapers - $44,910
Electricians - $49,320
Glaziers - $37,350
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall - $32,420
Insulation Workers, Mechanical - $37,990
Painters, Construction and Maintenance - $35,430
Paperhangers - $37,760
Pipelayers - $35,900
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters - $47,750
Plasterers and Stucco Masons - $36,830
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers - $37,990
Roofers - $35,280
Sheet Metal Workers - $42,730
Structural Iron and Steel Workers - $45,690
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters - $27,820
Helpers--Carpenters - $26,400
Helpers--Electricians - $27,620
Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons - $23,500
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters - $27,010
Helpers--Roofers - $23,260
Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other - $25,320
Construction and Building Inspectors - $53,180
Elevator Installers and Repairers - $75,060
Fence Erectors - $29,580
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers - $38,120
Highway Maintenance Workers - $35,220
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators - $45,000
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners - $33,740
Segmental Pavers - $32,340
Construction and Related Workers, All Other* - $35,200
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas - $45,220
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas - $51,310
Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining - $40,750
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas - $40,200
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters - $45,370
Continuous Mining Machine Operators - $50,620
Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators - $49,090
Mining Machine Operators, All Other - $45,630
Rock Splitters, Quarry - $32,510
Roof Bolters, Mining - $53,130
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas - $32,980
Helpers--Extraction Workers - $32,870
Extraction Workers, All Other - $40,030


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Chicago Average

This list is the same thing except for the Chicago region only. This is a much better apples-to-apples comparison. Notice how the elevator figure is not an outlier anymore.

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers - $79,390.00
Boilermakers - $69,400.00
Brickmasons and Blockmasons - $76,740.00
Stonemasons - $28,140.00
Carpenters - $48,890.00
Carpet Installers - $46,770.00
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles - $78,190.00
Tile and Marble Setters - $62,820.00
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers - $55,010.00
Terrazzo Workers and Finishers - $66,450.00
Construction Laborers - $31,520.00
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators - $66,220.00
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators - $74,580.00
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers - $38,610.00
Tapers - $75,200.00
Electricians - $78,760.00
Glaziers - $50,530.00
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall - $80,050.00
Insulation Workers, Mechanical - $69,430.00
Painters, Construction and Maintenance - $46,180.00
Paperhangers - $32,800.00
Pipelayers - $67,060.00
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters - $69,000.00
Plasterers and Stucco Masons - $51,820.00
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers - $78,140.00
Roofers - $47,070.00
Sheet Metal Workers - $68,840.00
Structural Iron and Steel Workers - $78,580.00
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters - $64,470.00
Helpers--Carpenters - $27,180.00
Helpers--Electricians - $36,190.00
Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons - $25,610.00
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters - $19,100.00
Helpers--Roofers - $29,720.00
Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other - $30,550.00
Construction and Building Inspectors - $61,110.00
Elevator Installers and Repairers - $68,940.00
Fence Erectors - $21,720.00
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers - $49,150.00
Highway Maintenance Workers - $54,960.00
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners - $47,060.00
Construction and Related Workers, All Other* - $61,310.00
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas - *
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters - $74,000.00
Helpers--Extraction Workers - $32,830.00


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

I think this is an excellent example of why "How Much" questions have no place on this forum. Nearly a $30,000.00 difference in exectricians wages.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

TxElectrician said:


> I think this is an excellent example of why "How Much" questions have no place on this forum. Nearly a $30,000.00 difference in exectricians wages.


EXACTLY!!!!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I should be insulating walls in Chicago...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

TxElectrician said:


> I think this is an excellent example of why "How Much" questions have no place on this forum. Nearly a $30,000.00 difference in exectricians wages.


How much time is fair game. Even that varies depending on whether it's average situation, simple, harder,...


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## Red Adobe (Jul 26, 2008)

my sides hurt, I think a Yahoo writer came up with some of these numbers.....

IE: CHI TOWN no sho jobs
Carpet Installers - $46,770.00
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles - $78,190.00
Tile and Marble Setters - $62,820.00
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall - $80,050.00



whats the Other floorlayer making 78k? if viynl or laminate is that much im all in , maybe peel and stick id do that for 76k


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

hdavis said:


> How much time is fair game. Even that varies depending on whether it's average situation, simple, harder,...


I've read this nearly ten times and have no idea what it means.

These are *annual* salary numbers, not job pricing in case that was what you thought.

And WTF is a boiler maker and why are they always in these lists?
:laughing:


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Red Adobe said:


> my sides hurt, I think a Yahoo writer came up with some of these numbers.....
> 
> IE: CHI TOWN no sho jobs
> Carpet Installers - $46,770.00
> ...


Actually this is pretty realistic for the Chicago area. The cost of living here sucks compared to other areas, but the numbers are higher. I guess they have to be.


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## AnonymousGC (Apr 24, 2012)

Red Adobe said:


> my sides hurt, I think a Yahoo writer came up with some of these numbers.....
> 
> IE: CHI TOWN no sho jobs
> Carpet Installers - $46,770.00
> ...


This is census data which means it's just a sampling which is subject to error. These stats are def not perfect but most of them should be close medians. Trades that have a lot of cheap hired labor will have lower averages than those that have lots of union labor/self-employed guys but that does not necessarily mean the numbers here reflects any particular person.

I wish they had stats for contractors who hire workers rather than tradesmen alone because that would add a lot more dimension. For example, being an electrical contractor means you have much higher labor costs than being a roofer since your employees need more training and have more license laws. But I bet you the average roofing contractor makes more than the average electrical contractor (i'm just guessing for the sake of example, don't quote me) because the guys who do the work take in more of the customer's check.


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

rselectric1 said:


> I've read this nearly ten times and have no idea what it means.
> 
> These are *annual* salary numbers, not job pricing in case that was what you thought.
> 
> ...


A boilermaker is a beer cocktail consisting of a glass of beer and a shot of whisky,[1] tequila, or vodka. The beer is either served as a chaser or is mixed with the liquor. When the beer is served as a chaser, the drink is often called simply a shot and a beer or a beer and a bump.


I have no idea they are on the list either:laughing:


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## catfish/carpent (Nov 26, 2011)

i'd be happy to just make the carpentry wage, but fishing is fun


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## oktex56 (Dec 30, 2011)

I will weigh in.

I was shocked. I was thinking this was a statistic from 10-20 years ago when I read the same list.

Can anyone call Horsesh__?

Maybe I am wrong but I would like to see a comparison from 10 years ago when I looked at the same trades. I swear they made around the same then.

A boilermaker makes vessels used in industrial plants like big oil storage tanks. Similar to a pipefitter but they have to make up huge or small containers out of metal to hold different things.

Chi town has gas prices way above anyone I know. Cost of living sucks there. Unions there are strong so wages are up above average too.


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## Rockmonster (Nov 15, 2007)

Wow. Carpenter's helpers 27k, mason's helpers, 64k.........I may have never picked up a trowel if I had lived in Chicago.........


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## WarriorWithWood (Jun 30, 2007)

Carpenter wages here haven't changed in 15 years. A good carpenter will make 25hr as an employee. If you're a manager you can expect another 5 but that's about tops.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

TxElectrician said:


> I think this is an excellent example of why "How Much" questions have no place on this forum. Nearly a $30,000.00 difference in exectricians wages.


:laughing:
Did you post during the party??:thumbsup:


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## AnonymousGC (Apr 24, 2012)

Rockmonster said:


> Wow. Carpenter's helpers 27k, mason's helpers, 64k.........I may have never picked up a trowel if I had lived in Chicago.........


I think part of the reason for this is many older high-rises need exterior masonry work that is very expensive and that pushes the median wage way up.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

rselectric1 said:


> I've read this nearly ten times and have no idea what it means.
> 
> These are *annual* salary numbers, not job pricing in case that was what you thought.
> 
> ...


No, just the general prohibition on job pricing. How long it takes to do something is an OK discussion, job cost isn't.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Now I know why I'm self employed. 

Those numbers are probably pretty similar to Canada/Ontario. Here for a comparison a non-union carpenter is about $25/hr and union is $47/hr.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

rselectric1 said:


> ...And WTF is a boiler maker... ?
> :laughing:


Steel fabricators...In the olden days they literally did make boilers & furnaces.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Pay for tradesman here has been stagnate for a long time. Most aren't making those numbers.


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## Ethos (Feb 21, 2012)

hdavis said:


> I should be insulating walls in Chicago...


No kidding... 80K a year for jockeying insulation? Sign me up for that job please.


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## Ethos (Feb 21, 2012)

oktex56 said:


> I was shocked. I was thinking this was a statistic from 10-20 years ago when I read the same list.


That's what happens when an entire industry gets infiltrated with illegal labor, and losers who have nowhere else to work. It's a shame, because morons with 3+ DUIs, ex-cons and guys who barely speak english and 30 to a home, lower the quality of life for everyone else who wanted to work with their hands instead of pushing paperwork for a living. They'll all work for barely nothing, because they're worth barely nothing, and people just live with the shoddy results.

It really bums me that the trades haven't advanced much wage-wise since the mid '80s.


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

Wages may have dropped since 2005 when I was doing commercial new construction in a NW Chicago suburb. At that time many of the trades were performed by men who speak a language I don't understand for $10/hour cash. That adds up to a whopping $20k/year.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Ethos said:


> It really bums me that the trades haven't advanced much wage-wise since the mid '80s.


The non union trades. Union tradesmen make good money. But that's for another thread.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

katoman said:


> The non union trades. Union tradesmen make good money. But that's for another thread.



If there is any union work...


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## skcolo (May 16, 2009)

Yet they didn't post how much the eight guys standing around watching the two guys working on a government project earn.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

For the fifteen years I was a journeyman union plumber in Chicago the only time I made less than $90,000 a year was when I chose to take two or three months of the year off, there were a few years I made over $100,000. Now that there isn't a single tower crane downtown means a lot of guys are taking ten to twelve months a year off.

Oh and a boilermaker is someone that works on pressure vessels and the piping related to them, a lot of them work in refineries on storage tanks, which are considered pressure vessels.


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## skillman (Sep 23, 2011)

rselectric1 said:


> I've read this nearly ten times and have no idea what it means.
> 
> a boiler maker and why are they always in these lists?
> :laughing:


When my dad past alway . My mom need a new heating system so his buddy from work was a boiler maker / master plumber installied it for her for free . I work along side him . He is one of the most smartist plumber guys that are out there . He builds enegry plants for hospital's and back up generator plants . He is worth more than what anymoney can pay him for what he has learned in his trade . If i can remeber a pee nut of the stuff that guy knows i would be brian surgery .


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Jaws said:


> :laughing:
> Did you post during the party??:thumbsup:


No, I left early. It was quite impressive though:thumbsup:
Hell of a showroom they have, and Grant sure knows how to host a BIA mixer:thumbup:


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