Trade pay in San Diego
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: 25 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.
Every trade in San Diego, ranked
| # | Trade | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Median $/yr | Jobs | vs state | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator mechanic | $33.10 | $67.43 | $77.49 | $140,250 | 170 | 1% below | 28% above |
| 2 | Construction manager | $39.56 | $64.04 | $100.17 | $133,210 | 3,800 | about the same as | 16% above |
| 3 | Lineman | $31.57 | $58.11 | $76.38 | $120,870 | 740 | 6% below | 27% above |
| 4 | Construction supervisor | $28.96 | $46.08 | $71.08 | $95,850 | 7,000 | 2% below | 20% above |
| 5 | Heavy equipment operator | $26.21 | $40.23 | $65.42 | $83,670 | 3,130 | 4% below | 40% above |
| 6 | Sheet metal worker | $22.81 | $38.50 | $60.84 | $80,080 | 1,480 | 5% above | 30% above |
| 7 | Crane operator | $32.37 | $38.33 | $59.66 | $79,720 | 210 | about the same as | 17% above |
| 8 | Ironworker | $23.72 | $36.73 | $53.05 | $76,400 | 740 | about the same as | 22% above |
| 9 | Drywall installer | $23.27 | $36.68 | $54.86 | $76,290 | 3,220 | 16% above | 29% above |
| 10 | Electrician | $23.03 | $36.62 | $60.70 | $76,160 | 8,060 | about the same as | 21% above |
| 11 | Diesel mechanic | $24.70 | $36.09 | $45.92 | $75,070 | 1,430 | 2% above | 22% above |
| 12 | HVAC technician | $22.46 | $36.00 | $54.80 | $74,880 | 3,210 | 3% above | 23% above |
| 13 | Carpenter | $22.75 | $35.19 | $56.53 | $73,200 | 8,710 | 4% below | 21% above |
| 14 | Plumber | $22.13 | $34.86 | $61.44 | $72,510 | 5,100 | about the same as | 14% above |
| 15 | Cement mason | $22.68 | $31.98 | $49.41 | $66,530 | 2,330 | 6% above | 17% above |
| 16 | Glazier | $23.76 | $31.32 | $58.55 | $65,150 | 840 | 2% above | 14% above |
| 17 | Brickmason | $23.32 | $30.43 | $48.95 | $63,280 | 260 | 8% below | 2% above |
| 18 | Welder | $22.45 | $30.08 | $39.65 | $62,560 | 2,940 | 8% above | 16% above |
| 19 | Roofer | $22.89 | $29.90 | $36.36 | $62,180 | 1,830 | 2% below | 12% above |
| 20 | Machinist | $19.38 | $29.53 | $41.81 | $61,420 | 2,180 | 7% above | 5% above |
| 21 | Solar installer | $22.88 | $29.49 | $38.77 | $61,340 | 550 | 1% above | 15% above |
| 22 | Plasterer | $22.38 | $29.37 | $48.50 | $61,080 | 520 | 2% above | 6% above |
| 23 | Tile setter | $19.03 | $28.00 | $43.60 | $58,240 | 910 | 1% below | 5% above |
| 24 | Construction laborer | $19.04 | $27.49 | $41.35 | $57,180 | 8,850 | 5% below | 21% above |
| 25 | Painter | $21.33 | $26.91 | $40.16 | $55,970 | 4,040 | 5% below | 13% above |
Union scale in the San Diego area
The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the San Diego 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 | $36.62 | $66.32 | $19.07 | $85.39 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Plumber | $34.86 | $48.84 | $23.58 | $72.42 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Carpenter | $35.19 | $48.94 | $26.18 | $75.12 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Construction laborer | $27.49 | $49.28 | $25.09 | $74.37 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $40.23 | $65.25 | $33.20 | $98.45 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Ironworker | $36.73 | $50.70 | $35.15 | $85.85 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Sheet metal worker | $38.50 | $53.45 | $30.92 | $84.37 | Union | 1 of 1 |
| Painter | $26.91 | $38.52 | $18.64 | $57.16 | Union | 1 of 1 |
Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the California prevailing wage page.
Construction jobs in San Diego
86.6kConstruction jobs2026-08
-3.6%Change over 12 months
+2.0%Change over 5 years
Questions this page answers
What is the highest-paying trade in San Diego?
In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, elevator and escalator installers and repairers had the highest median wage at $67.43 an hour in May 2025, with 170 jobs counted.
Do trades pay more in San Diego than the rest of California?
In San Diego, 10 of 25 trades pay above the California state median and 10 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $67.43.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA.
- BLS CES metro employment.
- BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.