Skilled Wages

Trade pay in Washington DC

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 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 Washington DC, ranked

Ranked median wagesMedian wageCost-of-living adjusted$0$20$40$60$80/hrConstruction manager: $62.33 (cost-of-living adjusted $57.24)Construction manager$62.33Elevator mechanic: $58.78 (cost-of-living adjusted $53.98)Elevator mechanic$58.78Lineman: $45.91 (cost-of-living adjusted $42.16)Lineman$45.91Crane operator: $44.29 (cost-of-living adjusted $40.67)Crane operator$44.29Construction supervisor: $40.16 (cost-of-living adjusted $36.88)Construction supervisor$40.16Electrician: $36.50 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.52)Electrician$36.50Diesel mechanic: $34.89 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.04)Diesel mechanic$34.89HVAC technician: $34.58 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.75)HVAC technician$34.58Plumber: $34.55 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.73)Plumber$34.55Machinist: $33.10 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.39)Machinist$33.10Ironworker: $32.85 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.17)Ironworker$32.85Plasterer: $30.92 (cost-of-living adjusted $28.39)Plasterer$30.92Glazier: $30.44 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.95)Glazier$30.44Heavy equipment operator: $29.64 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.22)Heavy equipment operator$29.64Sheet metal worker: $29.46 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.05)Sheet metal worker$29.46Carpenter: $29.23 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.84)Carpenter$29.23Welder: $29.17 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.79)Welder$29.17Brickmason: $29.17 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.79)Brickmason$29.17Drywall installer: $28.40 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.08)Drywall installer$28.40Roofer: $28.05 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.76)Roofer$28.05Cement mason: $28.05 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.76)Cement mason$28.05Millwright: $26.65 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.47)Millwright$26.65Painter: $24.31 (cost-of-living adjusted $22.32)Painter$24.31Tile setter: $23.65 (cost-of-living adjusted $21.72)Tile setter$23.65Construction laborer: $22.80 (cost-of-living adjusted $20.94)Construction laborer$22.80Insulation worker: $22.07 (cost-of-living adjusted $20.27)Insulation worker$22.07
Median hourly wage by trade, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, May 2025. Thin marker: cost-of-living adjusted (BEA metro price parity 108.9).
#Trade10thMedian $/hr90thMedian $/yrJobsvs statevs US
1Construction manager$41.60$62.33$99.60$129,6506,6303% above13% above
2Elevator mechanic$37.80$58.78$63.88$122,260400about the same as11% above
3Lineman$28.36$45.91$59.92$95,4801,5306% belowabout the same as
4Crane operator$29.95$44.29$45.53$92,120410—35% above
5Construction supervisor$29.19$40.16$62.15$83,54014,6603% below5% above
6Electrician$21.49$36.50$58.45$75,93016,5804% below20% above
7Diesel mechanic$24.62$34.89$46.66$72,5802,91011% above17% above
8HVAC technician$22.56$34.58$50.57$71,9208,73015% below18% above
9Plumber$22.83$34.55$55.00$71,8609,42029% below13% above
10Machinist$23.47$33.10$54.69$68,8506206% below17% above
11Ironworker$24.39$32.85$41.04$68,3201,06012% above9% above
12Plasterer$27.35$30.92$35.09$64,310110—12% above
13Glazier$22.84$30.44$38.85$63,3101,38019% below11% above
14Heavy equipment operator$22.39$29.64$40.47$61,6606,45017% below3% above
15Sheet metal worker$21.05$29.46$41.24$61,2701,840—1% below
16Carpenter$22.67$29.23$43.56$60,80013,2801% belowabout the same as
17Welder$21.71$29.17$55.02$60,6702,0001% above13% above
18Brickmason$22.00$29.17$36.11$60,6701,9106% below2% below
19Drywall installer$22.96$28.40$37.41$59,0702,210—about the same as
20Roofer$22.70$28.05$38.27$58,3401,9406% below5% above
21Cement mason$21.16$28.05$37.22$58,3502,8105% below2% above
22Millwright$24.82$26.65$39.43$55,430——16% below
23Painter$20.00$24.31$35.60$50,5604,38015% below2% above
24Tile setter$16.00$23.65$35.91$49,180450—12% below
25Construction laborer$17.80$22.80$30.19$47,43017,7105% below1% above
26Insulation worker$19.75$22.07$37.54$45,9001,330—7% below

Union scale in the Washington DC area

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

TradeMetro market medianDB baseFringeTotal packageRate sourceCounties with a rate
Electrician$36.50$59.50$23.06$82.56Union1 of 23
Plumber$34.55$53.30$23.71$77.01Union1 of 23
Carpenter$29.23$34.41$14.33$48.74Union1 of 23
Construction laborer$22.80$13.04$2.80$15.84Survey1 of 23
Ironworker$32.85$37.86$25.86$63.72Union1 of 23
Sheet metal worker$29.46$53.42$23.20$76.62Union1 of 23
Painter$24.31$29.16$11.86$41.02Union1 of 23

Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the District of Columbia prevailing wage page.

Construction jobs in Washington DC

172.3kConstruction jobs2026-08
-1.8%Change over 12 months
+7.0%Change over 5 years
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025172kAug 2026
Mining, logging and construction employment, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, thousands, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted.

Questions this page answers

What is the highest-paying trade in Washington DC?

In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, construction managers had the highest median wage at $62.33 an hour in May 2025, with 6,630 jobs counted.

Do trades pay more in Washington DC than the rest of District of Columbia?

In Washington DC, 4 of 26 trades pay above the District of Columbia state median and 14 pay below it; the biggest premium is for construction managers at $62.33.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA.
  • BLS CES metro employment.
  • BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.