Trade pay in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN: 25 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Cincinnati, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction manager | $33.14 | $50.34 | $79.00 | $104,710 | 3,050 | 3% above | 9% below |
| 2 | Lineman | $29.26 | $44.79 | $57.24 | $93,150 | 730 | about the same as | 2% below |
| 3 | Construction supervisor | $27.80 | $38.71 | $50.69 | $80,520 | 4,730 | 1% above | 1% above |
| 4 | Ironworker | $23.27 | $36.39 | $42.48 | $75,700 | 480 | 1% above | 21% above |
| 5 | Millwright | $23.96 | $36.37 | $44.43 | $75,650 | 250 | 3% above | 15% above |
| 6 | Sheet metal worker | $19.89 | $35.43 | $46.42 | $73,690 | 910 | 1% below | 19% above |
| 7 | Brickmason | $22.05 | $34.02 | $40.53 | $70,760 | 440 | about the same as | 14% above |
| 8 | Heavy equipment operator | $22.70 | $32.19 | $47.84 | $66,950 | 3,120 | 3% above | 12% above |
| 9 | Plumber | $22.52 | $31.33 | $48.94 | $65,160 | 3,640 | 3% above | 2% above |
| 10 | Electrician | $18.52 | $30.53 | $47.24 | $63,490 | 5,640 | 2% below | about the same as |
| 11 | Cement mason | $21.60 | $30.28 | $38.39 | $62,990 | 1,410 | about the same as | 10% above |
| 12 | Diesel mechanic | $22.01 | $30.00 | $38.37 | $62,400 | 2,300 | 3% above | 1% above |
| 13 | HVAC technician | $19.11 | $29.92 | $46.35 | $62,240 | 2,950 | about the same as | 2% above |
| 14 | Carpenter | $21.24 | $28.90 | $38.34 | $60,110 | 4,610 | 1% below | 1% below |
| 15 | Plasterer | $23.20 | $28.85 | $31.36 | $60,000 | 50 | 4% below | 4% above |
| 16 | Glazier | $19.74 | $28.66 | $35.78 | $59,620 | 250 | 1% below | 4% above |
| 17 | Insulation worker | $20.00 | $28.06 | $46.46 | $58,360 | 90 | about the same as | 19% above |
| 18 | Machinist | $18.81 | $27.55 | $37.30 | $57,300 | 2,890 | 1% below | 2% below |
| 19 | Drywall installer | $18.85 | $26.67 | $35.24 | $55,470 | 290 | 10% below | 6% below |
| 20 | Crane operator | $19.71 | $26.44 | $49.68 | $55,000 | 210 | 5% below | 19% below |
| 21 | Construction laborer | $18.18 | $26.41 | $37.59 | $54,930 | 5,700 | 2% below | 17% above |
| 22 | Welder | $18.97 | $24.99 | $35.56 | $51,990 | 3,160 | 3% above | 3% below |
| 23 | Painter | $18.30 | $24.12 | $34.30 | $50,170 | 890 | 1% above | 2% above |
| 24 | Roofer | $19.66 | $23.66 | $35.48 | $49,210 | 770 | about the same as | 11% below |
| 25 | Tile setter | $10.70 | $22.42 | $35.48 | $46,630 | 110 | 1% above | 16% below |
Union scale in the Cincinnati area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Cincinnati 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 | $30.53 | $38.00 | $24.16 | $62.16 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Plumber | $31.33 | $43.30 | $27.40 | $70.70 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Carpenter | $28.90 | $32.26 | $19.10 | $51.36 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Construction laborer | $26.41 | $32.49 | $14.45 | $46.94 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $32.19 | $44.14 | $16.41 | $60.55 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Ironworker | $36.39 | $37.77 | $23.90 | $61.67 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Sheet metal worker | $35.43 | $34.32 | $23.77 | $58.09 | Union | 5 of 15 |
| Painter | $24.12 | $28.29 | $13.75 | $42.04 | Union | 5 of 15 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Ohio prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Cincinnati
58.4kConstruction jobs2026-08
+4.3%Change over 12 months
+13.6%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Cincinnati?
In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, construction managers had the highest median wage at $50.34 an hour in May 2025, with 3,050 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Cincinnati than the rest of Ohio?
In Cincinnati, 10 of 25 trades pay above the Ohio state median and 9 pay below it; the biggest premium is for construction managers at $50.34.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.