What do skilled trades pay in Indiana in 2026?
Median pay for 30 skilled trades in Indiana (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in Indiana are Power-Line Worker (~$102,040) and Elevator Installer (~$92,390), across 30 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in Indiana?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Power-Line Worker
$102,040
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
28,600 jobs
Across 30 trades: $42,810–$102,040 (median $62,070).
Indiana tracks 30 skilled trades on TradesPays, all drawn from BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide median wages. At the top of the range, Power-Line Workers pull $102,040 a year; at the bottom, Tapers come in at $42,810. The midpoint trade earns around $62,070, with most trades falling between $50,375 and $72,888. These are statewide figures — TradesPays does not hold Indiana metro-level breakdowns or apprentice-versus-journeyman splits beyond union scale data. If you work one of these trades in Indiana, these numbers are your negotiating floor: what the market is actually paying, nothing inflated.
Trades ranked by pay in Indiana
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power-Line Worker | $102,040 |
| 2 | Elevator Installer | $92,390 |
| 3 | Boilermaker | $91,410 |
| 4 | Construction Equipment Operator | $79,580 |
| 5 | Millwright | $77,140 |
| 6 | Plumber | $76,320 |
| 7 | Pipelayer | $73,580 |
| 8 | Brickmason | $73,110 |
| 9 | Insulation Worker | $72,220 |
| 10 | Ironworker | $70,130 |
See all 30
| 11 | Electrician | $68,490 |
| 12 | Rebar Worker | $64,650 |
| 13 | Sheet Metal Worker | $64,040 |
| 14 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $63,950 |
| 15 | Carpenter | $62,870 |
| 16 | Cement Mason | $61,270 |
| 17 | HVAC Technician | $60,430 |
| 18 | Glazier | $60,210 |
| 19 | Telecom Line Installer | $58,920 |
| 20 | Roofer | $57,980 |
| 21 | Plasterer | $53,930 |
| 22 | Floor Layer | $50,720 |
| 23 | Painter | $50,260 |
| 24 | Construction Laborer | $50,070 |
| 25 | Drywall Installer | $49,810 |
| 26 | Welder | $49,730 |
| 27 | Tile & Stone Setter | $48,450 |
| 28 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $46,680 |
| 29 | Solar Installer | $46,140 |
| 30 | Taper | $42,810 |
Where is the union premium biggest in Indiana?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Indiana across our trades yet — these trades are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Indiana.
How Indiana trade pay is spread
Across the 30 trades tracked in Indiana, the pay range runs from $42,810 to $102,040 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025, statewide median wages). The 25th-to-75th band — $50,375 to $72,888 — is where most trades land, with a midpoint of $62,070. Power-Line Worker sits at the top at $102,040; Taper anchors the bottom at $42,810. Every figure here is a nominal BLS dollar — the number BLS reports, before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state wage data, so don't read a higher Indiana figure as automatically "better" than a lower number elsewhere until you account for what it costs to live where you work.
Where the jobs are in Indiana
By headcount, Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Indiana, with about 28,600 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). Employment and pay are separate signals: the trade that employs the most people is rarely the top-paying one. TradesPays surfaces them separately on purpose — we don't blend headcount and wage into a single "best trade" score, because they answer different questions. If you want the highest wage, look at Power-Line Worker; if you want the widest hiring market, Construction Laborer is where the volume is.
Trades in Indiana: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Indiana?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Power-Line Worker is the top-paying trade tracked in Indiana, at a statewide median of $102,040.
- What is the lowest-paying trade in Indiana's dataset?
- Taper sits at the bottom of the 30 trades tracked in Indiana, with a statewide median of $42,810 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- What does the typical skilled trade pay in Indiana?
- Across the 30 trades TradesPays tracks in Indiana, the midpoint trade earns about $62,070 (the median of the per-trade statewide medians), with most trades falling between $50,375 and $72,888 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in Indiana?
- TradesPays tracks 30 skilled trades at the state level in Indiana. All figures are statewide medians from BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Which trade employs the most workers in Indiana?
- Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Indiana, with about 28,600 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). The trade that hires the most isn't the highest-paying — that's Power-Line Worker at $102,040.
- Are Indiana's trade wages adjusted for cost of living?
- No. Every wage figure on TradesPays is a nominal BLS dollar — the number reported in BLS OEWS May 2025 before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state figures, so what these dollars buy depends on where in Indiana you live and work.
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