Skilled Wages

Trade pay in Columbus

Columbus, OH: 24 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025

Every trade in Columbus, ranked

Ranked median wagesMedian wageCost-of-living adjusted$0$20$40$60/hrConstruction manager: $50.58 (cost-of-living adjusted $52.96)Construction manager$50.58Construction supervisor: $39.59 (cost-of-living adjusted $41.46)Construction supervisor$39.59Lineman: $39.31 (cost-of-living adjusted $41.16)Lineman$39.31Insulation worker: $38.46 (cost-of-living adjusted $40.27)Insulation worker$38.46Heavy equipment operator: $37.96 (cost-of-living adjusted $39.75)Heavy equipment operator$37.96Sheet metal worker: $37.39 (cost-of-living adjusted $39.15)Sheet metal worker$37.39Ironworker: $36.98 (cost-of-living adjusted $38.72)Ironworker$36.98Brickmason: $35.36 (cost-of-living adjusted $37.03)Brickmason$35.36Millwright: $33.61 (cost-of-living adjusted $35.19)Millwright$33.61Crane operator: $32.07 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.58)Crane operator$32.07Carpenter: $31.96 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.47)Carpenter$31.96Drywall installer: $31.47 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.95)Drywall installer$31.47Cement mason: $31.21 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.68)Cement mason$31.21Electrician: $31.11 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.58)Electrician$31.11HVAC technician: $30.98 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.44)HVAC technician$30.98Plumber: $30.41 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.84)Plumber$30.41Diesel mechanic: $29.90 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.31)Diesel mechanic$29.90Glazier: $29.33 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.71)Glazier$29.33Construction laborer: $29.11 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.48)Construction laborer$29.11Machinist: $27.86 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.17)Machinist$27.86Painter: $24.91 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.08)Painter$24.91Welder: $24.64 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.80)Welder$24.64Roofer: $23.76 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.88)Roofer$23.76Tile setter: $22.62 (cost-of-living adjusted $23.69)Tile setter$22.62
Median hourly wage by trade, Columbus, OH, May 2025. Thin marker: cost-of-living adjusted (BEA metro price parity 95.5).
#Trade10thMedian $/hr90thMedian $/yrJobsvs statevs US
1Construction manager$35.96$50.58$79.70$105,2004,0003% above9% below
2Construction supervisor$29.33$39.59$54.62$82,3605,4203% above3% above
3Lineman$24.43$39.31$53.03$81,7601,26012% below14% below
4Insulation worker$18.33$38.46$38.47$80,00038037% above63% above
5Heavy equipment operator$24.33$37.96$47.79$78,9503,29022% above32% above
6Sheet metal worker$22.45$37.39$46.61$77,7607604% above26% above
7Ironworker$24.50$36.98$63.78$76,9203703% above23% above
8Brickmason$22.84$35.36$59.78$73,5504304% above18% above
9Millwright$23.98$33.61$42.85$69,9201805% below6% above
10Crane operator$21.98$32.07$50.12$66,71012016% above2% below
11Carpenter$22.72$31.96$39.72$66,4803,6209% above10% above
12Drywall installer$23.14$31.47$35.77$65,4505707% above11% above
13Cement mason$22.42$31.21$40.41$64,9101,0003% above14% above
14Electrician$22.16$31.11$45.39$64,7007,210about the same as2% above
15HVAC technician$19.56$30.98$48.36$64,4403,0003% above6% above
16Plumber$19.62$30.41$49.52$63,2603,060about the same as1% below
17Diesel mechanic$22.44$29.90$38.63$62,1902,6903% above1% above
18Glazier$22.65$29.33$36.32$61,0103901% above7% above
19Construction laborer$18.50$29.11$39.06$60,5405,5908% above28% above
20Machinist$18.68$27.86$37.17$57,9401,150about the same as1% below
21Painter$18.40$24.91$37.07$51,8109805% above5% above
22Welder$19.28$24.64$33.88$51,2602,1902% above5% below
23Roofer$20.51$23.76$35.30$49,420700about the same as11% below
24Tile setter$18.21$22.62$30.33$47,0501302% above16% below

Union scale in the Columbus area

The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Columbus metro, next to the metro market median from BLS.

TradeMetro market medianDB baseFringeTotal packageRate sourceCounties with a rate
Electrician$31.11$40.00$33.32$73.32Union10 of 10
Plumber$30.41$34.73$37.60$72.33Union10 of 10
Carpenter$31.96$35.94$23.59$59.53Union10 of 10
Construction laborer$29.11$40.97$14.10$55.07Union10 of 10
Heavy equipment operator$37.96$44.14$16.41$60.55Union10 of 10
Ironworker$36.98$39.70$29.59$69.29Union10 of 10
Sheet metal worker$37.39$35.52$29.87$65.39Union10 of 10
Painter$24.91$30.28$24.46$54.74Union10 of 10

Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Ohio prevailing wage page.

Construction jobs in Columbus

72.8kConstruction jobs2026-08
+16.1%Change over 12 months
+56.6%Change over 5 years
Construction employment, 1990-20260k20k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202573kAug 2026
Mining, logging and construction employment, Columbus, OH, thousands, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted.

Questions this page answers

What is the highest-paying trade in Columbus?

In the Columbus, OH metro area, construction managers had the highest median wage at $50.58 an hour in May 2025, with 4,000 jobs counted.

Do trades pay more in Columbus than the rest of Ohio?

In Columbus, 18 of 24 trades pay above the Ohio state median and 2 pay below it; the biggest premium is for construction managers at $50.58.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Columbus, OH MSA.
  • BLS CES metro employment.
  • BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.