How much do elevator installers make in Minnesota in 2026?

Elevator installers in Minnesota earn a median of $128,020 a year, which works out to about $61.55 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour year. That's a strong number by any measure, and it reflects the skill ceiling and physical demands this trade places on the people who do it.

The full spread tells the story more clearly. Workers at the 25th percentile — think newer journeyworkers or those in smaller markets — pull in around $102,320 annually, or roughly $49.19 an hour. The 75th percentile sits at $131,040, about $63.00 an hour. The fact that the gap between the median and the 75th percentile is only about $3,000 a year suggests pay clusters tightly once you're established. The bigger jump is from entry-level to median, a spread of nearly $26,000 annually. Getting past that gap is mostly about logged hours, a completed apprenticeship, and consistent work on complex jobs.

The licensing path in Minnesota matters directly to what you can earn. Elevator constructors must be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. The state requires a journeyworker license to perform installation work independently. That credential is not optional — it gates your ability to take on more complex projects and, in turn, the higher-paying work. If you're still in an apprenticeship, your pay will reflect that status, likely landing you below the 25th percentile until you complete the program and qualify for licensure.

Geography within Minnesota does create some real variation. The Twin Cities metro — Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs — concentrates most of the state's commercial high-rise, hospital, and multi-family construction. Those projects involve the most complicated elevator systems and tend to pay more, often pulling wages toward the upper end of the range. Outstate work exists, particularly in regional medical centers and university buildings in cities like Duluth or Rochester, but the volume is lower and competition for those jobs can be tighter.

Overtime is a meaningful income lever in this trade. Elevator installation projects often run on tight schedules tied to building occupancy deadlines. When a general contractor needs an elevator certified before a building opens, the elevator crew works the hours required. A journeyworker at the median rate of $61.55 an hour earns $92.33 for every overtime hour at time-and-a-half. A few weeks of heavy overtime during a project closeout can add several thousand dollars to a year's earnings that the BLS annual figure won't fully reflect.

Some elevator installers in Minnesota work under collective bargaining agreements. The specific pay rates and benefit structures in those agreements depend on the individual contract, so if you're covered by one, your local's agreement is the right document to check — the figures here are a market-wide snapshot and don't break out union versus non-union pay.

The BLS OEWS figures used here are from the May 2025 survey. They capture base wages reported by employers and do not include overtime premiums, shift differentials, or the value of benefits like health insurance and pension contributions. For a trade where fringe benefits can represent a significant portion of total compensation, your actual total package may look different from the base wage figures alone.

If you want to move your pay toward the 75th percentile, the clearest paths are specializing in high-complexity systems — hydraulic, traction, and machine-room-less elevators each carry different technical demands — and building a track record on commercial and institutional projects rather than residential lifts. Mechanics who can also handle escalators and moving walkways often find more consistent work, which matters as much as the hourly rate when you're looking at annual income.

Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.