Skilled Wages

Trade pay in Kansas City

Kansas City, MO-KS: 27 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025

Every trade in Kansas City, ranked

Ranked median wagesMedian wageCost-of-living adjusted$0$20$40$60$80/hrElevator mechanic: $59.68 (cost-of-living adjusted $64.52)Elevator mechanic$59.68Construction manager: $58.55 (cost-of-living adjusted $63.30)Construction manager$58.55Lineman: $48.91 (cost-of-living adjusted $52.88)Lineman$48.91Millwright: $43.93 (cost-of-living adjusted $47.49)Millwright$43.93Construction supervisor: $40.43 (cost-of-living adjusted $43.71)Construction supervisor$40.43Sheet metal worker: $39.82 (cost-of-living adjusted $43.05)Sheet metal worker$39.82Crane operator: $39.02 (cost-of-living adjusted $42.18)Crane operator$39.02Plasterer: $37.92 (cost-of-living adjusted $40.99)Plasterer$37.92Ironworker: $37.30 (cost-of-living adjusted $40.32)Ironworker$37.30Electrician: $36.95 (cost-of-living adjusted $39.95)Electrician$36.95Plumber: $36.61 (cost-of-living adjusted $39.58)Plumber$36.61Brickmason: $34.80 (cost-of-living adjusted $37.62)Brickmason$34.80Heavy equipment operator: $30.80 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.30)Heavy equipment operator$30.80HVAC technician: $30.14 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.58)HVAC technician$30.14Diesel mechanic: $30.08 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.52)Diesel mechanic$30.08Cement mason: $29.93 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.36)Cement mason$29.93Carpenter: $29.72 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.13)Carpenter$29.72Roofer: $28.09 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.37)Roofer$28.09Welder: $27.58 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.82)Welder$27.58Tile setter: $27.45 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.68)Tile setter$27.45Glazier: $27.33 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.55)Glazier$27.33Machinist: $27.28 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.49)Machinist$27.28Insulation worker: $27.15 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.35)Insulation worker$27.15Construction laborer: $24.28 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.25)Construction laborer$24.28Painter: $24.07 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.02)Painter$24.07Solar installer: $24.04 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.99)Solar installer$24.04Drywall installer: $22.46 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.28)Drywall installer$22.46
Median hourly wage by trade, Kansas City, MO-KS, May 2025. Thin marker: cost-of-living adjusted (BEA metro price parity 92.5).
#Trade10thMedian $/hr90thMedian $/yrJobsvs statevs US
1Elevator mechanic$36.75$59.68$71.88$124,1202002% below13% above
2Construction manager$38.51$58.55$83.56$121,7902,1809% above6% above
3Lineman$28.02$48.91$59.09$101,7409806% above7% above
4Millwright$25.30$43.93$46.80$91,38064037% above39% above
5Construction supervisor$28.21$40.43$58.79$84,1005,8604% below5% above
6Sheet metal worker$21.71$39.82$55.11$82,8301,08030% above34% above
7Crane operator$19.57$39.02$46.04$81,15033039% above19% above
8Plasterer$23.44$37.92$38.42$78,8701401% below37% above
9Ironworker$23.29$37.30$41.59$77,570380about the same as24% above
10Electrician$22.25$36.95$52.97$76,8605,40017% above22% above
11Plumber$22.50$36.61$59.05$76,1503,74014% above19% above
12Brickmason$23.09$34.80$42.34$72,370500about the same as17% above
13Heavy equipment operator$22.72$30.80$46.56$64,0604,1106% above7% above
14HVAC technician$21.94$30.14$42.68$62,6803,0105% above3% above
15Diesel mechanic$22.20$30.08$41.66$62,5702,8905% above1% above
16Cement mason$21.96$29.93$41.94$62,2502,9501% above9% above
17Carpenter$21.61$29.72$46.35$61,8104,5402% above2% above
18Roofer$19.35$28.09$39.86$58,42088020% above5% above
19Welder$20.60$27.58$37.57$57,3702,71010% above7% above
20Tile setter$20.25$27.45$38.79$57,1002906% below3% above
21Glazier$19.72$27.33$39.13$56,85030011% aboveabout the same as
22Machinist$19.66$27.28$39.37$56,7401,3503% below3% below
23Insulation worker$21.91$27.15$45.83$56,4603301% above15% above
24Construction laborer$17.44$24.28$38.54$50,5006,58011% below7% above
25Painter$17.98$24.07$36.53$50,0701,33013% below1% above
26Solar installer$22.75$24.04$29.63$49,990——6% below
27Drywall installer$17.25$22.46$44.12$46,72053025% below21% below

Union scale in the Kansas City area

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

TradeMetro market medianDB baseFringeTotal packageRate sourceCounties with a rate
Electrician$36.95$54.01$27.85$81.86Union9 of 14
Plumber$36.61$58.38$25.29$83.67Union9 of 14
Carpenter$29.72$44.63$22.40$67.03Union9 of 14
Construction laborer$24.28$31.60$18.25$49.85Union9 of 14
Heavy equipment operator$30.80$45.48$22.42$67.90Union9 of 14
Ironworker$37.30$39.00$34.25$73.25Union9 of 14
Sheet metal worker$39.82$50.43$26.45$76.88Union9 of 14
Painter$24.07$24.14$9.67$33.81Survey9 of 14

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

Construction jobs in Kansas City

69.2kConstruction jobs2026-08
+4.4%Change over 12 months
+22.7%Change over 5 years
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202569kAug 2026
Construction employment, Kansas City, MO-KS, thousands, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted.

Questions this page answers

What is the highest-paying trade in Kansas City?

In the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area, elevator and escalator installers and repairers had the highest median wage at $59.68 an hour in May 2025, with 200 jobs counted.

Do trades pay more in Kansas City than the rest of Missouri?

In Kansas City, 16 of 27 trades pay above the Missouri state median and 8 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $59.68.

Sources and notes

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