What do skilled trades pay in Maryland in 2026?
Median pay for 29 skilled trades in Maryland (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in Maryland are Elevator Installer (~$122,260) and Power-Line Worker (~$106,090), across 29 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in Maryland?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$122,260
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
20,920 jobs
Across 29 trades: $42,250–$122,260 (median $60,090).
Maryland tracks 29 skilled trades on TradesPays, all drawn from BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide median wages. At the top of the range, Elevator Installers pull $122,260 a year; at the bottom, Boilermakers come in at $42,250. The midpoint trade earns around $60,090, with most trades falling between $51,950 and $70,020. These are statewide figures — TradesPays does not hold Maryland metro-level breakdowns or apprentice-versus-journeyman splits beyond union scale data. If you work one of these trades in Maryland, these numbers are your negotiating floor: what the market is actually paying, nothing inflated.
Trades ranked by pay in Maryland
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $122,260 |
| 2 | Power-Line Worker | $106,090 |
| 3 | Telecom Line Installer | $82,380 |
| 4 | Electrician | $73,490 |
| 5 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $71,870 |
| 6 | Ironworker | $71,730 |
| 7 | Insulation Worker | $70,030 |
| 8 | HVAC Technician | $70,020 |
| 9 | Plumber | $65,400 |
| 10 | Carpenter | $62,960 |
See all 29
| 11 | Sheet Metal Worker | $62,560 |
| 12 | Rebar Worker | $61,640 |
| 13 | Construction Equipment Operator | $61,410 |
| 14 | Welder | $60,310 |
| 15 | Roofer | $60,090 |
| 16 | Glazier | $59,890 |
| 17 | Millwright | $59,220 |
| 18 | Brickmason | $59,030 |
| 19 | Plasterer | $56,890 |
| 20 | Pipelayer | $55,640 |
| 21 | Drywall Installer | $54,680 |
| 22 | Cement Mason | $51,950 |
| 23 | Painter | $49,120 |
| 24 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $48,640 |
| 25 | Floor Layer | $47,880 |
| 26 | Construction Laborer | $46,960 |
| 27 | Tile & Stone Setter | $45,670 |
| 28 | Solar Installer | $45,430 |
| 29 | Boilermaker | $42,250 |
Where is the union premium biggest in Maryland?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Maryland 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 Maryland.
How Maryland trade pay is spread
Across the 29 trades tracked in Maryland, the pay range runs from $42,250 to $122,260 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025, statewide median wages). The 25th-to-75th band — $51,950 to $70,020 — is where most trades land, with a midpoint of $60,090. Elevator Installer sits at the top at $122,260; Boilermaker anchors the bottom at $42,250. 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 Maryland 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 Maryland
By headcount, Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Maryland, with about 20,920 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 Elevator Installer; if you want the widest hiring market, Construction Laborer is where the volume is.
Trades in Maryland: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Maryland?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Elevator Installer is the top-paying trade tracked in Maryland, at a statewide median of $122,260.
- What is the lowest-paying trade in Maryland's dataset?
- Boilermaker sits at the bottom of the 29 trades tracked in Maryland, with a statewide median of $42,250 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- What does the typical skilled trade pay in Maryland?
- Across the 29 trades TradesPays tracks in Maryland, the midpoint trade earns about $60,090 (the median of the per-trade statewide medians), with most trades falling between $51,950 and $70,020 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in Maryland?
- TradesPays tracks 29 skilled trades at the state level in Maryland. All figures are statewide medians from BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Which trade employs the most workers in Maryland?
- Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Maryland, with about 20,920 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). The trade that hires the most isn't the highest-paying — that's Elevator Installer at $122,260.
- Are Maryland'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 Maryland you live and work.
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