Trade pay in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA: 27 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in Pittsburgh, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator mechanic | $30.30 | $58.62 | $60.67 | $121,920 | 140 | 4% above | 11% above |
| 2 | Lineman | $31.32 | $50.76 | $57.29 | $105,590 | 1,030 | 1% below | 11% above |
| 3 | Construction manager | $37.33 | $49.72 | $83.75 | $103,420 | 1,420 | 4% below | 10% below |
| 4 | Boilermaker | $32.50 | $43.95 | $49.50 | $91,420 | 100 | 5% above | 20% above |
| 5 | Construction supervisor | $28.64 | $39.92 | $62.47 | $83,030 | 6,000 | 2% above | 4% above |
| 6 | Ironworker | $27.08 | $39.84 | $51.03 | $82,860 | 370 | about the same as | 32% above |
| 7 | Brickmason | $24.25 | $36.99 | $46.74 | $76,940 | 590 | 11% above | 24% above |
| 8 | Plumber | $22.55 | $33.70 | $51.86 | $70,100 | 2,910 | 3% above | 10% above |
| 9 | Electrician | $22.01 | $33.34 | $51.37 | $69,340 | 5,210 | 3% above | 10% above |
| 10 | Plasterer | $27.60 | $31.89 | $39.74 | $66,330 | 50 | 5% below | 15% above |
| 11 | Tile setter | $21.11 | $31.61 | $38.92 | $65,750 | 230 | 6% below | 18% above |
| 12 | Cement mason | $22.15 | $30.44 | $35.94 | $63,310 | 1,500 | 3% above | 11% above |
| 13 | Heavy equipment operator | $22.83 | $29.96 | $45.47 | $62,320 | 5,050 | 3% above | 4% above |
| 14 | HVAC technician | $22.35 | $29.87 | $44.57 | $62,140 | 2,680 | about the same as | 2% above |
| 15 | Crane operator | $18.64 | $29.57 | $54.76 | $61,510 | 330 | 6% below | 10% below |
| 16 | Millwright | $23.43 | $29.54 | $40.50 | $61,440 | 200 | 5% below | 6% below |
| 17 | Carpenter | $21.12 | $29.41 | $45.00 | $61,180 | 5,920 | 3% above | 1% above |
| 18 | Drywall installer | $22.01 | $29.14 | $35.28 | $60,600 | 380 | 1% below | 3% above |
| 19 | Diesel mechanic | $21.73 | $28.98 | $38.13 | $60,280 | 2,070 | 2% below | 2% below |
| 20 | Sheet metal worker | $23.00 | $27.91 | $42.51 | $58,050 | 870 | 5% below | 6% below |
| 21 | Machinist | $18.72 | $26.86 | $35.84 | $55,880 | 2,760 | 3% below | 5% below |
| 22 | Welder | $20.81 | $25.78 | $36.44 | $53,610 | 3,600 | 1% above | about the same as |
| 23 | Roofer | $18.96 | $25.17 | $36.22 | $52,350 | 770 | 6% below | 6% below |
| 24 | Glazier | $17.10 | $24.59 | $35.66 | $51,140 | 290 | 13% below | 10% below |
| 25 | Construction laborer | $17.98 | $24.33 | $34.54 | $50,600 | 8,620 | 2% above | 7% above |
| 26 | Painter | $17.33 | $23.79 | $33.96 | $49,490 | 1,260 | 5% below | about the same as |
| 27 | Insulation worker | $18.14 | $22.65 | $35.38 | $47,110 | 140 | 7% below | 4% below |
Union scale in the Pittsburgh area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Pittsburgh 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 | $33.34 | $49.11 | $36.79 | $85.90 | Union | 6 of 8 |
| Plumber | $33.70 | $48.65 | $25.47 | $74.12 | Union | 8 of 8 |
| Carpenter | $29.41 | $38.92 | $20.06 | $58.98 | Union | 8 of 8 |
| Construction laborer | $24.33 | $27.82 | $20.39 | $48.21 | Union | 8 of 8 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $29.96 | $41.69 | $24.05 | $65.74 | Union | 8 of 8 |
| Ironworker | $39.84 | $38.89 | $34.54 | $73.43 | Union | 8 of 8 |
| Sheet metal worker | $27.91 | $46.75 | $35.93 | $82.68 | Union | 8 of 8 |
| Painter | $23.79 | $36.01 | $23.72 | $59.73 | Union | 8 of 8 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Pennsylvania prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in Pittsburgh
58.3kConstruction jobs2026-08
-5.7%Change over 12 months
-12.1%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in Pittsburgh?
In the Pittsburgh, PA metro area, elevator and escalator installers and repairers had the highest median wage at $58.62 an hour in May 2025, with 140 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in Pittsburgh than the rest of Pennsylvania?
In Pittsburgh, 11 of 27 trades pay above the Pennsylvania state median and 14 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $58.62.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Pittsburgh, PA MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.