Trade pay in Austin
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: 24 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Austin, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator mechanic | $28.92 | $51.74 | $57.85 | $107,630 | 110 | 5% above | 2% below |
| 2 | Construction manager | $33.53 | $49.51 | $81.30 | $102,980 | 6,040 | 1% above | 10% below |
| 3 | Lineman | $23.06 | $39.48 | $51.30 | $82,120 | 1,270 | 4% above | 14% below |
| 4 | Construction supervisor | $24.50 | $37.40 | $50.50 | $77,800 | 8,010 | 4% above | 3% below |
| 5 | Crane operator | $22.96 | $36.23 | $47.86 | $75,360 | 230 | 3% above | 11% above |
| 6 | Sheet metal worker | $18.28 | $30.29 | $37.43 | $62,990 | 1,280 | 16% above | 2% above |
| 7 | Plumber | $19.62 | $30.20 | $38.90 | $62,810 | 5,260 | 5% above | 2% below |
| 8 | Wind turbine technician | $23.82 | $29.77 | $38.08 | $61,930 | 130 | about the same as | 3% below |
| 9 | Diesel mechanic | $22.64 | $29.36 | $38.94 | $61,070 | 1,560 | 4% above | 1% below |
| 10 | HVAC technician | $21.17 | $29.24 | $44.32 | $60,820 | 3,140 | 5% above | about the same as |
| 11 | Electrician | $18.87 | $29.03 | $37.90 | $60,390 | 7,340 | 3% above | 4% below |
| 12 | Brickmason | $19.28 | $28.98 | $29.80 | $60,270 | 370 | 7% above | 3% below |
| 13 | Ironworker | $22.41 | $28.84 | $37.29 | $59,980 | 710 | 15% above | 4% below |
| 14 | Welder | $18.95 | $28.39 | $36.57 | $59,040 | 2,210 | 11% above | 10% above |
| 15 | Machinist | $20.07 | $28.38 | $37.33 | $59,030 | 1,210 | about the same as | about the same as |
| 16 | Heavy equipment operator | $19.43 | $24.50 | $34.32 | $50,960 | 5,010 | 1% above | 15% below |
| 17 | Solar installer | $18.37 | $24.32 | $35.43 | $50,580 | 830 | 5% above | 5% below |
| 18 | Drywall installer | $18.27 | $24.28 | $30.75 | $50,500 | 710 | 6% above | 14% below |
| 19 | Carpenter | $19.04 | $24.16 | $33.75 | $50,260 | 2,540 | 3% above | 17% below |
| 20 | Cement mason | $18.73 | $23.76 | $29.10 | $49,410 | 2,650 | 4% above | 13% below |
| 21 | Glazier | $17.92 | $23.72 | $29.85 | $49,340 | 550 | 3% above | 14% below |
| 22 | Roofer | $17.37 | $22.76 | $33.24 | $47,340 | 480 | 3% above | 15% below |
| 23 | Painter | $18.83 | $22.38 | $28.83 | $46,550 | 1,860 | 2% above | 6% below |
| 24 | Construction laborer | $16.31 | $21.16 | $28.34 | $44,000 | 11,140 | 8% above | 7% below |
Union scale in the Austin area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Austin 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 | $29.03 | $36.50 | $10.69 | $47.19 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Plumber | $30.20 | $23.57 | $6.37 | $29.94 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
| Carpenter | $24.16 | $31.80 | $9.56 | $41.36 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Construction laborer | $21.16 | $13.22 | $0.04 | $13.26 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $24.50 | $19.43 | $3.49 | $22.92 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
| Ironworker | $28.84 | $28.30 | $8.23 | $36.53 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Sheet metal worker | $30.29 | $34.01 | $16.10 | $50.11 | Union | 5 of 5 |
| Painter | $22.38 | $18.76 | $6.35 | $25.11 | Survey | 5 of 5 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Texas prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Austin
98.5kConstruction jobs2026-08
+4.2%Change over 12 months
+31.3%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Austin?
In the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, elevator and escalator installers and repairers had the highest median wage at $51.74 an hour in May 2025, with 110 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Austin than the rest of Texas?
In Austin, 22 of 24 trades pay above the Texas state median and 0 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $51.74.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.