Skilled Wages

Trade pay in Phoenix

Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 26 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025

Every trade in Phoenix, ranked

Ranked median wagesMedian wageCost-of-living adjusted$0$20$40$60/hrConstruction manager: $56.90 (cost-of-living adjusted $55.08)Construction manager$56.90Construction supervisor: $38.38 (cost-of-living adjusted $37.15)Construction supervisor$38.38Lineman: $36.26 (cost-of-living adjusted $35.10)Lineman$36.26Crane operator: $34.89 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.78)Crane operator$34.89Plumber: $30.65 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.67)Plumber$30.65Diesel mechanic: $30.45 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.48)Diesel mechanic$30.45Heavy equipment operator: $30.07 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.11)Heavy equipment operator$30.07Machinist: $29.46 (cost-of-living adjusted $28.52)Machinist$29.46Electrician: $29.43 (cost-of-living adjusted $28.49)Electrician$29.43HVAC technician: $29.41 (cost-of-living adjusted $28.47)HVAC technician$29.41Carpenter: $29.00 (cost-of-living adjusted $28.07)Carpenter$29.00Ironworker: $28.63 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.72)Ironworker$28.63Brickmason: $28.55 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.64)Brickmason$28.55Cement mason: $28.49 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.58)Cement mason$28.49Millwright: $27.59 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.71)Millwright$27.59Glazier: $27.49 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.61)Glazier$27.49Welder: $27.18 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.31)Welder$27.18Tile setter: $25.72 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.90)Tile setter$25.72Drywall installer: $25.13 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.33)Drywall installer$25.13Sheet metal worker: $24.63 (cost-of-living adjusted $23.84)Sheet metal worker$24.63Solar installer: $24.61 (cost-of-living adjusted $23.82)Solar installer$24.61Plasterer: $23.90 (cost-of-living adjusted $23.14)Plasterer$23.90Painter: $23.49 (cost-of-living adjusted $22.74)Painter$23.49Roofer: $22.96 (cost-of-living adjusted $22.23)Roofer$22.96Construction laborer: $22.56 (cost-of-living adjusted $21.84)Construction laborer$22.56Insulation worker: $20.35 (cost-of-living adjusted $19.70)Insulation worker$20.35
Median hourly wage by trade, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, May 2025. Thin marker: cost-of-living adjusted (BEA metro price parity 103.3).
#Trade10thMedian $/hr90thMedian $/yrJobsvs statevs US
1Construction manager$38.22$56.90$81.68$118,3508,1703% above3% above
2Construction supervisor$28.53$38.38$49.82$79,84016,7702% aboveabout the same as
3Lineman$23.03$36.26$63.60$75,4202,810about the same as21% below
4Crane operator$24.49$34.89$43.01$72,5806308% above7% above
5Plumber$22.37$30.65$48.42$63,7509,2703% aboveabout the same as
6Diesel mechanic$23.15$30.45$41.34$63,3303,5503% above3% above
7Heavy equipment operator$23.39$30.07$39.05$62,5407,9803% above4% above
8Machinist$19.62$29.46$36.58$61,2703,230about the same as4% above
9Electrician$22.56$29.43$41.73$61,21017,240about the same as3% below
10HVAC technician$18.37$29.41$39.99$61,1708,0703% aboveabout the same as
11Carpenter$19.15$29.00$37.40$60,32012,7103% aboveabout the same as
12Ironworker$23.07$28.63$44.36$59,5403,470about the same as5% below
13Brickmason$23.81$28.55$36.29$59,390930about the same as4% below
14Cement mason$23.50$28.49$37.71$59,2606,1201% above4% above
15Millwright$19.12$27.59$51.95$57,380380about the same as13% below
16Glazier$22.14$27.49$33.99$57,1702,0001% aboveabout the same as
17Welder$21.04$27.18$39.08$56,5405,4402% above5% above
18Tile setter$17.93$25.72$33.31$53,5007803% above4% below
19Drywall installer$18.01$25.13$33.59$52,2701,9304% above11% below
20Sheet metal worker$17.52$24.63$39.23$51,2302,5502% above17% below
21Solar installer$18.64$24.61$37.88$51,2001,000about the same as4% below
22Plasterer$18.27$23.90$38.37$49,7001,310about the same as14% below
23Painter$19.61$23.49$31.06$48,8603,9201% above1% below
24Roofer$16.13$22.96$30.10$47,7602,7001% above14% below
25Construction laborer$17.68$22.56$29.93$46,91029,2301% aboveabout the same as
26Insulation worker$17.83$20.35$29.57$42,320550about the same as14% below

Union scale in the Phoenix area

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

TradeMetro market medianDB baseFringeTotal packageRate sourceCounties with a rate
Electrician$29.43$39.09$15.53$54.62Union2 of 2
Plumber$30.65$51.15$21.00$72.15Union2 of 2
Carpenter$29.00$33.19$19.20$52.39Union2 of 2
Construction laborer$22.56$17.95$3.97$21.92Survey2 of 2
Heavy equipment operator$30.07$24.61$3.42$28.03Survey2 of 2
Ironworker$28.63$33.00$19.91$52.91Union2 of 2
Sheet metal worker$24.63$49.39$19.86$69.25Union2 of 2
Painter$23.49$23.00$3.64$26.64Survey2 of 2

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

Construction jobs in Phoenix

185.6kConstruction jobs2026-08
+3.8%Change over 12 months
+31.7%Change over 5 years
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025186kAug 2026
Construction employment, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, thousands, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted.

Questions this page answers

What is the highest-paying trade in Phoenix?

In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, construction managers had the highest median wage at $56.90 an hour in May 2025, with 8,170 jobs counted.

Do trades pay more in Phoenix than the rest of Arizona?

In Phoenix, 17 of 26 trades pay above the Arizona state median and 0 pay below it; the biggest premium is for construction managers at $56.90.

Sources and notes

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