Trade pay in Philadelphia
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 28 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Philadelphia, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator mechanic | $38.48 | $63.77 | $76.86 | $132,640 | 540 | 13% above | 21% above |
| 2 | Construction manager | $40.39 | $60.09 | $98.35 | $124,990 | 3,390 | 15% above | 9% above |
| 3 | Lineman | $31.02 | $57.44 | $60.59 | $119,460 | 1,420 | 12% above | 25% above |
| 4 | Ironworker | $25.36 | $49.68 | $58.38 | $103,330 | 800 | 25% above | 65% above |
| 5 | Construction supervisor | $30.11 | $46.08 | $72.83 | $95,840 | 10,700 | 18% above | 20% above |
| 6 | Boilermaker | $31.86 | $41.79 | $55.42 | $86,910 | 140 | about the same as | 14% above |
| 7 | Plasterer | $30.10 | $37.60 | $46.44 | $78,200 | 80 | 12% above | 36% above |
| 8 | Sheet metal worker | $21.88 | $37.09 | $60.51 | $77,140 | 1,530 | 26% above | 25% above |
| 9 | Millwright | $25.56 | $37.08 | $60.73 | $77,120 | 510 | 20% above | 17% above |
| 10 | Brickmason | $26.11 | $36.52 | $50.98 | $75,970 | 1,210 | 9% above | 22% above |
| 11 | Plumber | $23.27 | $35.99 | $68.37 | $74,860 | 7,150 | 10% above | 17% above |
| 12 | Electrician | $22.59 | $35.86 | $63.76 | $74,590 | 10,090 | 10% above | 18% above |
| 13 | Crane operator | $25.94 | $34.62 | $59.72 | $72,010 | 790 | 10% above | 6% above |
| 14 | Tile setter | $19.37 | $34.01 | $46.92 | $70,730 | 390 | 1% above | 27% above |
| 15 | Heavy equipment operator | $23.45 | $32.12 | $54.47 | $66,810 | 5,620 | 10% above | 12% above |
| 16 | HVAC technician | $21.88 | $31.05 | $48.46 | $64,580 | 8,610 | 3% above | 6% above |
| 17 | Diesel mechanic | $22.78 | $31.04 | $42.16 | $64,550 | 4,490 | 5% above | 5% above |
| 18 | Glazier | $21.51 | $29.90 | $49.28 | $62,200 | 710 | 6% above | 9% above |
| 19 | Carpenter | $21.97 | $29.70 | $47.34 | $61,780 | 14,260 | 4% above | 2% above |
| 20 | Drywall installer | $18.03 | $29.46 | $45.00 | $61,280 | 980 | about the same as | 4% above |
| 21 | Machinist | $20.91 | $29.46 | $38.95 | $61,280 | 3,330 | 6% above | 4% above |
| 22 | Cement mason | $20.28 | $29.28 | $45.55 | $60,900 | 1,870 | 1% below | 7% above |
| 23 | Roofer | $19.49 | $28.72 | $41.65 | $59,730 | 1,530 | 7% above | 8% above |
| 24 | Welder | $21.36 | $28.07 | $38.44 | $58,380 | 4,630 | 10% above | 9% above |
| 25 | Solar installer | $24.21 | $28.05 | $42.60 | $58,350 | 580 | 22% above | 10% above |
| 26 | Painter | $18.04 | $27.60 | $37.00 | $57,410 | 3,360 | 10% above | 16% above |
| 27 | Construction laborer | $18.46 | $26.50 | $40.00 | $55,120 | 14,580 | 12% above | 17% above |
| 28 | Insulation worker | $15.49 | $24.19 | $39.04 | $50,320 | 370 | 1% below | 2% above |
Statewide figures for every trade are on the highest-paying trades in Pennsylvania page; county union scale is on the Pennsylvania prevailing wage page.
Union scale in the Philadelphia area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Philadelphia 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 | $35.86 | $75.05 | $47.02 | $122.07 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Plumber | $35.99 | $73.73 | $39.86 | $113.59 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Carpenter | $29.70 | $57.72 | $30.39 | $88.11 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Construction laborer | $26.50 | $39.10 | $26.69 | $65.79 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $32.12 | $54.52 | $34.49 | $89.01 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Ironworker | $49.68 | $56.50 | $45.30 | $101.80 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Sheet metal worker | $37.09 | $62.62 | $50.66 | $113.28 | Union | 5 of 11 |
| Painter | $27.60 | $41.24 | $28.10 | $69.34 | Union | 1 of 11 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Pennsylvania prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Philadelphia
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Philadelphia?
In the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, elevator mechanics had the highest median wage at $63.77 an hour in May 2025, with 540 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Philadelphia than the rest of Pennsylvania?
In Philadelphia, 24 of 28 trades pay above the Pennsylvania state median and 2 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator mechanics at $63.77.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.