What do skilled trades pay in Massachusetts in 2026?
Median pay for 27 skilled trades in Massachusetts (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in Massachusetts are Elevator Installer (~$138,420) and Ironworker (~$120,840), across 27 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in Massachusetts?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$138,420
Most jobs
Carpenter
18,540 jobs
Biggest union premium
Plumber
+$18,440 (+20%)
Across 27 trades: $49,620–$138,420 (median $75,200).
Massachusetts tracks 27 skilled trades, and the numbers here come straight from BLS OEWS May 2025 — no smoothing, no guessing. At the top of the board: Elevator Installers earn $138,420 a year, making them the highest-paid trade in the state by a clear margin. Ironworkers follow at $120,840, Power-Line Workers at $110,210, Telecom Line Installers at $103,410, and Glaziers at $100,810. Five trades clear six figures before you even get to benefits or union scale. On the other end, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers come in at $49,620 — still a trade worth knowing, but one where you need to understand exactly what the work entails before you sign on. TradesPays reports all 27 trades at the state level. We don't have metro breakdowns or apprentice-to-journeyman splits beyond the union scale data noted below — what you see is what BLS published.
Trades ranked by pay in Massachusetts
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $138,420 |
| 2 | Ironworker | $120,840 |
| 3 | Power-Line Worker | $110,210 |
| 4 | Telecom Line Installer | $103,410 |
| 5 | Glazier | $100,810 |
| 6 | Brickmason | $94,950 |
| 7 | Plumberunion $112,320 | $93,880 |
| 8 | Sheet Metal Worker | $82,100 |
| 9 | Tile & Stone Setter | $81,150 |
| 10 | Electrician | $79,420 |
See all 27
| 11 | Floor Layer | $79,280 |
| 12 | HVAC Technician | $77,300 |
| 13 | Construction Equipment Operator | $76,820 |
| 14 | Carpenter | $75,200 |
| 15 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $72,840 |
| 16 | Pipelayer | $72,770 |
| 17 | Roofer | $72,750 |
| 18 | Drywall Installer | $69,500 |
| 19 | Millwright | $65,220 |
| 20 | Taper | $65,060 |
| 21 | Insulation Worker | $64,710 |
| 22 | Cement Mason | $63,840 |
| 23 | Construction Laborer | $63,390 |
| 24 | Welder | $62,570 |
| 25 | Solar Installer | $59,180 |
| 26 | Painter | $57,510 |
| 27 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $49,620 |
Where is the union premium biggest in Massachusetts?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
| Trade | Union scale | Premium vs BLS | Local |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber | $112,320 | +$18,440 (+20%) | UA Local 12 (Boston) journeyman scale |
Union data is partial for Massachusetts (1 of 27 trades) — submitting your pay helps build complete data for Massachusetts.
Union landscape in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a well-established union presence across the building and construction trades. The IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) represents electricians and telecom line workers throughout the state, with strong hall activity particularly in the Greater Boston corridor. The UA (United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters) is represented locally by UA Local 12 out of Boston, one of the larger UA locals in New England. The premium that union scale puts on the table is real and specific. For Plumbers, UA Local 12 journeyman scale adds $18,440 on top of the BLS state median — that's not a rounding error, that's a mortgage payment. TradesPays surfaces that figure because it matters when you're deciding whether to pursue a union apprenticeship or go open shop. A few things to be straight about: the $18,440 premium reflects journeyman scale for that specific local and may not represent every UA local in the state. We don't have equivalent published premium figures for every trade in Massachusetts — where the data exists and is sourced, we show it; where it doesn't, we say so. If you're weighing union vs. non-union in a specific trade, the local hall will give you the current CBA rate, and that's the number that actually goes on your stub.
Cost-of-living context
Every dollar figure on this page is a nominal BLS dollar — meaning it's not adjusted for what that dollar actually buys in Massachusetts. That distinction matters here more than in most states. Massachusetts consistently ranks among the higher-cost states in the country. Housing costs in Greater Boston are well documented as being elevated, and that pressure doesn't disappear just because your gross pay looks strong on paper. A $103,410 salary as a Telecom Line Installer in Massachusetts and a $103,410 salary somewhere in the rural Midwest are not the same paycheck in practice — the number is identical, the purchasing power is not. TradesPays does not publish cost-of-living indices or adjusted salary figures. We don't have a reliable, trade-specific COL methodology, and we're not going to invent one. What we can tell you is this: when you're comparing Massachusetts wages to another state, factor in housing, taxes, and commute costs yourself — those are local realities that a single salary number can't capture. What the nominal figures do tell you is where Massachusetts trades stand relative to each other, and which trades in this state have negotiated the strongest rates. Elevator Installers at $138,420 and Ironworkers at $120,840 are genuinely high rates by any national comparison. Whether that holds up after rent is a question you need to answer with your own budget, not a formula we apply for you.
Trades in Massachusetts: FAQ
- How many trades does TradesPays track in Massachusetts?
- 27 trades, all sourced from BLS OEWS May 2025. You can browse the full list on the Massachusetts hub page.
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Massachusetts?
- Elevator Installer, at $138,420 per year per BLS OEWS May 2025. Ironworker is second at $120,840.
- Which trade has the lowest reported wage in Massachusetts?
- Hazardous Materials Removal Worker comes in at $49,620. It's physically demanding, regulated work — make sure you understand the licensing requirements and exposure risks before pursuing it.
- Does the union premium figure apply to all plumbers in Massachusetts?
- No. The $18,440 premium above the BLS median reflects UA Local 12 (Boston) journeyman scale specifically. Other UA locals in the state or non-union plumbers may see different figures. For the current rate in your area, contact the relevant local hall directly.
- Does TradesPays have city or metro-level salary data for Massachusetts?
- Not at this time. All figures are state-level from BLS OEWS. We don't have a Boston, Worcester, or Springfield breakdown — if and when reliable metro data becomes available, we'll add it.
- Are the Massachusetts wages shown adjusted for cost of living?
- No. These are nominal BLS dollars. Massachusetts is a higher-cost state, and a dollar here doesn't stretch as far as the same dollar in lower-cost states. Factor your local housing, tax, and commute costs in separately — TradesPays doesn't apply a COL adjustment.
- How often does TradesPays update Massachusetts salary data?
- We update when BLS releases new OEWS data. The figures currently on this page are from the May 2025 release. Check the source date shown on each trade page to confirm you're looking at the most current numbers.
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