Skilled Wages

Trade pay in Nashville

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: 25 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025

Every trade in Nashville, ranked

Ranked median wagesMedian wageCost-of-living adjusted$0$20$40$60$80/hrConstruction manager: $58.75 (cost-of-living adjusted $61.01)Construction manager$58.75Elevator mechanic: $50.62 (cost-of-living adjusted $52.56)Elevator mechanic$50.62Lineman: $40.02 (cost-of-living adjusted $41.56)Lineman$40.02Construction supervisor: $37.90 (cost-of-living adjusted $39.36)Construction supervisor$37.90Crane operator: $36.90 (cost-of-living adjusted $38.32)Crane operator$36.90Brickmason: $31.91 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.14)Brickmason$31.91Electrician: $30.45 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.62)Electrician$30.45Sheet metal worker: $29.91 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.06)Sheet metal worker$29.91Ironworker: $29.75 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.89)Ironworker$29.75Millwright: $29.48 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.61)Millwright$29.48Diesel mechanic: $29.21 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.33)Diesel mechanic$29.21HVAC technician: $28.97 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.08)HVAC technician$28.97Plumber: $28.90 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.01)Plumber$28.90Glazier: $27.20 (cost-of-living adjusted $28.25)Glazier$27.20Heavy equipment operator: $26.94 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.98)Heavy equipment operator$26.94Carpenter: $26.81 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.84)Carpenter$26.81Insulation worker: $26.16 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.17)Insulation worker$26.16Machinist: $24.72 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.67)Machinist$24.72Drywall installer: $24.34 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.28)Drywall installer$24.34Welder: $23.78 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.69)Welder$23.78Cement mason: $23.47 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.37)Cement mason$23.47Roofer: $23.14 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.03)Roofer$23.14Construction laborer: $22.21 (cost-of-living adjusted $23.06)Construction laborer$22.21Tile setter: $21.60 (cost-of-living adjusted $22.43)Tile setter$21.60Painter: $21.31 (cost-of-living adjusted $22.13)Painter$21.31
Median hourly wage by trade, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, May 2025. Thin marker: cost-of-living adjusted (BEA metro price parity 96.3).
#Trade10thMedian $/hr90thMedian $/yrJobsvs statevs US
1Construction manager$35.36$58.75$93.77$122,1902,46011% above6% above
2Elevator mechanic$30.37$50.62$59.83$105,2903005% above4% below
3Lineman$24.49$40.02$49.71$83,2301,260about the same as13% below
4Construction supervisor$26.56$37.90$55.50$78,8306,5106% above1% below
5Crane operator$21.63$36.90$41.62$76,75021029% above13% above
6Brickmason$24.36$31.91$36.26$66,3805404% above7% above
7Electrician$22.07$30.45$44.81$63,3406,2204% aboveabout the same as
8Sheet metal worker$19.94$29.91$38.37$62,2007505% above1% above
9Ironworker$23.06$29.75$36.37$61,8904009% above1% below
10Millwright$23.80$29.48$36.85$61,3202601% below7% below
11Diesel mechanic$21.97$29.21$39.57$60,7601,7803% above2% below
12HVAC technician$22.41$28.97$43.83$60,2703,5009% above1% below
13Plumber$20.51$28.90$40.23$60,1002,7603% above6% below
14Glazier$22.14$27.20$32.00$56,58029016% above1% below
15Heavy equipment operator$22.42$26.94$35.53$56,0303,8208% above6% below
16Carpenter$19.29$26.81$33.50$55,7703,04010% above8% below
17Insulation worker$17.57$26.16$34.64$54,40055012% above11% above
18Machinist$19.26$24.72$34.60$51,4301,6404% above12% below
19Drywall installer$18.46$24.34$31.37$50,6405007% above14% below
20Welder$19.34$23.78$32.93$49,4602,5903% above8% below
21Cement mason$17.68$23.47$29.34$48,8101,4902% above14% below
22Roofer$17.16$23.14$40.01$48,1206505% above13% below
23Construction laborer$17.62$22.21$28.49$46,1909,1703% above2% below
24Tile setter$14.98$21.60$29.00$44,9301403% above19% below
25Painter$17.84$21.31$29.87$44,3308803% above10% below

Union scale in the Nashville area

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

TradeMetro market medianDB baseFringeTotal packageRate sourceCounties with a rate
Electrician$30.45$22.53$8.00$30.53Survey14 of 14
Plumber$28.90$46.02$19.63$65.65Union14 of 14
Carpenter$26.81$22.07$0.00$22.07Survey14 of 14
Construction laborer$22.21$12.49$0.00$12.49Survey14 of 14
Heavy equipment operator$26.94$24.50$0.00$24.50Survey14 of 14
Ironworker$29.75$35.32$17.07$52.39Union14 of 14
Sheet metal worker$29.91$34.95$16.66$51.61Union14 of 14
Painter$21.31$14.30$0.00$14.30Survey14 of 14

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

Construction jobs in Nashville

65.6kConstruction jobs2026-08
-2.7%Change over 12 months
+22.4%Change over 5 years
Construction employment, 1990-20260k20k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202566kAug 2026
Mining, logging and construction employment, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, thousands, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted.

Questions this page answers

What is the highest-paying trade in Nashville?

In the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area, construction managers had the highest median wage at $58.75 an hour in May 2025, with 2,460 jobs counted.

Do trades pay more in Nashville than the rest of Tennessee?

In Nashville, 23 of 25 trades pay above the Tennessee state median and 1 pay below it; the biggest premium is for construction managers at $58.75.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN MSA.
  • BLS CES metro employment.
  • BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.