How much do glaziers make in Minnesota in 2026?

The median glazier in Minnesota earns $66,130 a year, which works out to $31.79 an hour on a standard 2,080-hour schedule. That's the midpoint — half the glaziers in the state earn more, half earn less. The 25th percentile sits at $61,610 ($29.62/hr), and the 75th percentile reaches $91,930 ($44.20/hr). That $30,320 spread between the bottom quarter and the top quarter is wide, and it's not accidental. It reflects a trade where experience, specialization, and the type of projects you land make a real, measurable difference in your paycheck.

Glaziers install, cut, fit, and remove glass in residential and commercial settings — windows, storefronts, curtain walls, skylights, and structural glass systems. In Minnesota, the commercial and industrial segment drives the upper end of wages. Workers who move into curtain wall installation or large-scale commercial glazing on high-rise and institutional projects are the ones consistently reaching the 75th percentile and above. Residential replacement work tends to keep wages closer to the median or below.

Entry-level glaziers starting out in Minnesota should expect to land near or below the 25th percentile — around $29.62/hr or less. A typical apprenticeship runs four to five years, with wages usually set as a percentage of the journeyman rate and stepping up each year. By the time a worker completes an apprenticeship and earns journeyman status, they're typically approaching the median range. Reaching the 75th percentile at $91,930 generally takes a combination of years of experience, a reliable specialty, and the right employer or project type.

Geography within Minnesota matters. The Twin Cities metro — Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs — concentrates the bulk of commercial construction and renovation activity in the state. Glaziers working in the metro area have more access to large commercial projects, which typically pay better and provide steadier year-round work than rural areas. Outside the metro, work tends to be more seasonal and project-specific, which can mean stronger summer earnings but slower winters.

Seasonality is a real factor in Minnesota. Glazing work, particularly exterior installation, slows down in harsh winter conditions. Some employers maintain steady interior work through the colder months, but workers who rely on exterior commercial or residential projects may see fewer hours from November through March. Those who do work through winter, especially on exterior curtain wall projects, can accumulate meaningful overtime pay that pushes annual earnings well above the base hourly rate.

No union scale is available for this trade in Minnesota through BLS data. That said, union membership — where applicable — typically brings negotiated wage scales, defined benefit packages, and formal apprenticeship structures that can affect total compensation beyond base pay. Workers evaluating union versus non-union shops should factor in benefits, retirement contributions, and job stability alongside the hourly rate.

To move your pay up the scale, the clearest paths are specialization, certification, and targeting the right employers. Glaziers who develop skills in structural glass, blast-resistant glazing, or energy-efficient curtain wall systems are more attractive to commercial contractors who pay at or above the 75th percentile. OSHA 30 certification and manufacturer-specific product training can also give you a leg up when competing for higher-paying positions.

The BLS OEWS figures used here represent base wages and salaries. They do not capture overtime pay, shift differentials, per diem, or employer-provided benefits like health insurance and retirement plans. For glaziers working steady commercial schedules with regular overtime, actual annual take-home can run meaningfully higher than the figures shown. Use the percentile data as a baseline for comparison, not a ceiling.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.