Trade pay in Atlanta
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 24 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Atlanta, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction manager | $36.81 | $57.50 | $89.31 | $119,590 | 7,470 | 8% above | 4% above |
| 2 | Lineman | $25.05 | $40.18 | $58.85 | $83,570 | 2,660 | 4% above | 12% below |
| 3 | Elevator mechanic | $16.48 | $40.14 | $60.70 | $83,500 | 510 | about the same as | 24% below |
| 4 | Construction supervisor | $27.16 | $38.70 | $60.10 | $80,500 | 16,920 | 3% above | 1% above |
| 5 | Boilermaker | $20.76 | $30.86 | $39.80 | $64,200 | — | about the same as | 16% below |
| 6 | Millwright | $23.11 | $30.85 | $37.28 | $64,160 | 510 | 2% above | 2% below |
| 7 | Crane operator | $20.42 | $30.25 | $39.09 | $62,910 | 660 | 1% above | 8% below |
| 8 | Diesel mechanic | $23.52 | $29.94 | $42.54 | $62,270 | 5,940 | 1% above | 1% above |
| 9 | Drywall installer | $18.42 | $28.69 | $39.09 | $59,670 | 490 | 2% above | 1% above |
| 10 | HVAC technician | $18.42 | $28.35 | $39.78 | $58,970 | 7,060 | 5% above | 3% below |
| 11 | Electrician | $17.97 | $28.20 | $40.39 | $58,650 | 13,430 | 1% above | 7% below |
| 12 | Plumber | $18.22 | $28.07 | $39.22 | $58,380 | 5,470 | 2% above | 8% below |
| 13 | Sheet metal worker | $19.62 | $27.28 | $38.43 | $56,750 | 1,550 | about the same as | 8% below |
| 14 | Brickmason | $17.99 | $27.21 | $35.79 | $56,600 | — | 12% above | 9% below |
| 15 | Machinist | $18.12 | $27.05 | $38.53 | $56,270 | 2,500 | 7% above | 4% below |
| 16 | Insulation worker | $18.02 | $26.31 | $47.15 | $54,730 | 580 | 14% above | 11% above |
| 17 | Carpenter | $17.88 | $24.37 | $30.39 | $50,680 | 6,380 | 3% above | 16% below |
| 18 | Welder | $18.80 | $23.86 | $33.32 | $49,630 | 5,240 | 2% above | 8% below |
| 19 | Painter | $18.22 | $23.83 | $28.38 | $49,570 | 1,340 | 3% above | about the same as |
| 20 | Heavy equipment operator | $19.04 | $23.77 | $31.10 | $49,430 | 8,360 | 3% above | 17% below |
| 21 | Roofer | $16.13 | $23.61 | $30.82 | $49,100 | 1,440 | 5% above | 11% below |
| 22 | Ironworker | $18.66 | $23.12 | $35.74 | $48,090 | 620 | about the same as | 23% below |
| 23 | Cement mason | $17.33 | $22.48 | $37.43 | $46,750 | 2,290 | 1% above | 18% below |
| 24 | Construction laborer | $13.60 | $20.20 | $27.95 | $42,010 | 16,460 | 8% above | 11% below |
Union scale in the Atlanta area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Atlanta metro, next to the metro market median from BLS.
| Trade | Metro market median | DB base | Fringe | Total package | Rate source | Counties with a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | $28.20 | $38.65 | $12.75 | $51.40 | Union | 29 of 29 |
| Plumber | $28.07 | $41.18 | $17.01 | $58.19 | Union | 29 of 29 |
| Carpenter | $24.37 | $21.06 | $3.54 | $24.60 | Survey | 29 of 29 |
| Construction laborer | $20.20 | $15.96 | $0.00 | $15.96 | Survey | 29 of 29 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $23.77 | $28.32 | $13.45 | $41.77 | Union | 29 of 29 |
| Ironworker | $23.12 | $32.00 | $15.05 | $47.05 | Union | 29 of 29 |
| Sheet metal worker | $27.28 | $38.29 | $17.40 | $55.69 | Union | 29 of 29 |
| Painter | $23.83 | $16.29 | $0.00 | $16.29 | Survey | 29 of 29 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Georgia prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Atlanta
154.9kConstruction jobs2026-08
-2.1%Change over 12 months
+16.5%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Atlanta?
In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, construction managers had the highest median wage at $57.50 an hour in May 2025, with 7,470 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Atlanta than the rest of Georgia?
In Atlanta, 20 of 24 trades pay above the Georgia state median and 0 pay below it; the biggest premium is for construction managers at $57.50.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.