Trade pay in Baltimore
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: 26 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Baltimore, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator mechanic | $37.60 | $58.99 | $59.73 | $122,690 | 400 | about the same as | 12% above |
| 2 | Construction manager | $37.77 | $58.41 | $101.57 | $121,490 | 2,780 | 5% below | 6% above |
| 3 | Lineman | $29.88 | $51.52 | $61.22 | $107,170 | 930 | 1% above | 12% above |
| 4 | Crane operator | $29.54 | $42.28 | $42.28 | $87,950 | 410 | about the same as | 29% above |
| 5 | Construction supervisor | $27.15 | $37.35 | $56.28 | $77,690 | 7,670 | 1% below | 3% below |
| 6 | Diesel mechanic | $24.02 | $35.80 | $44.00 | $74,470 | 1,670 | about the same as | 21% above |
| 7 | Millwright | $25.00 | $35.36 | $41.88 | $73,540 | 90 | 24% above | 12% above |
| 8 | Ironworker | $22.94 | $34.23 | $38.12 | $71,200 | 300 | 1% below | 13% above |
| 9 | Electrician | $21.82 | $31.54 | $54.37 | $65,590 | 6,930 | 11% below | 4% above |
| 10 | Insulation worker | $20.14 | $30.39 | $40.24 | $63,200 | 550 | 8% above | 29% above |
| 11 | Plumber | $21.74 | $30.38 | $49.34 | $63,200 | 5,220 | 3% below | 1% below |
| 12 | HVAC technician | $21.65 | $30.38 | $49.67 | $63,180 | 3,960 | 10% below | 4% above |
| 13 | Carpenter | $20.59 | $29.99 | $41.09 | $62,380 | 3,870 | 1% below | 3% above |
| 14 | Welder | $20.82 | $29.77 | $45.81 | $61,920 | 1,290 | 3% above | 15% above |
| 15 | Heavy equipment operator | $22.78 | $29.20 | $37.39 | $60,740 | 3,350 | 1% below | 1% above |
| 16 | Machinist | $20.85 | $28.98 | $39.66 | $60,280 | 750 | 1% above | 3% above |
| 17 | Sheet metal worker | $19.81 | $28.58 | $38.27 | $59,440 | 820 | 5% below | 4% below |
| 18 | Glazier | $21.37 | $28.36 | $37.92 | $58,980 | 690 | 1% below | 3% above |
| 19 | Brickmason | $18.12 | $27.89 | $33.79 | $58,000 | 580 | 2% below | 7% below |
| 20 | Roofer | $21.15 | $27.11 | $39.26 | $56,390 | 890 | 6% below | 2% above |
| 21 | Cement mason | $21.34 | $24.98 | $32.98 | $51,950 | 1,390 | about the same as | 9% below |
| 22 | Plasterer | $19.81 | $24.95 | $27.67 | $51,900 | — | 9% below | 10% below |
| 23 | Drywall installer | $17.34 | $23.41 | $31.77 | $48,680 | 470 | 11% below | 17% below |
| 24 | Painter | $19.22 | $23.36 | $38.73 | $48,600 | 1,460 | 1% below | 2% below |
| 25 | Construction laborer | $17.38 | $22.34 | $28.74 | $46,460 | 10,520 | 1% below | 1% below |
| 26 | Solar installer | $21.25 | $21.74 | $29.47 | $45,220 | 490 | about the same as | 15% below |
Union scale in the Baltimore area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Baltimore 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 | $31.54 | $49.50 | $21.14 | $70.64 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Plumber | $30.38 | $47.78 | $25.93 | $73.71 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Carpenter | $29.99 | $37.08 | $25.48 | $62.56 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Construction laborer | $22.34 | $27.32 | $7.21 | $34.53 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $29.20 | $35.18 | $15.12 | $50.30 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Ironworker | $34.23 | $39.01 | $29.53 | $68.54 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Sheet metal worker | $28.58 | $50.92 | $24.61 | $75.53 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
| Painter | $23.36 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | Survey | 7 of 7 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Maryland prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Baltimore
85.8kConstruction jobs2026-08
+1.8%Change over 12 months
+5.9%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Baltimore?
In the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area, elevator and escalator installers and repairers had the highest median wage at $58.99 an hour in May 2025, with 400 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Baltimore than the rest of Maryland?
In Baltimore, 5 of 26 trades pay above the Maryland state median and 16 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $58.99.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.