What do skilled trades pay in Minnesota in 2026?
Median pay for 28 skilled trades in Minnesota (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in Minnesota are Elevator Installer (~$128,020) and Insulation Worker (~$105,670), across 28 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in Minnesota?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$128,020
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
28,530 jobs
Across 28 trades: $57,270–$128,020 (median $75,420).
Minnesota tracks 28 skilled trades on TradesPays, all drawn from BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide median wages. At the top of the range, Elevator Installers pull $128,020 a year; at the bottom, Painters come in at $57,270. The midpoint trade earns around $75,420, with most trades falling between $65,830 and $94,613. These are statewide figures — TradesPays does not hold Minnesota metro-level breakdowns or apprentice-versus-journeyman splits beyond union scale data. If you work one of these trades in Minnesota, these numbers are your negotiating floor: what the market is actually paying, nothing inflated.
Trades ranked by pay in Minnesota
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $128,020 |
| 2 | Insulation Worker | $105,670 |
| 3 | Power-Line Worker | $104,180 |
| 4 | Plasterer | $102,530 |
| 5 | Boilermaker | $96,190 |
| 6 | Ironworker | $95,320 |
| 7 | Brickmason | $95,220 |
| 8 | Plumber | $94,410 |
| 9 | Pipelayer | $81,980 |
| 10 | Construction Equipment Operator | $79,130 |
See all 28
| 11 | Millwright | $78,570 |
| 12 | Electrician | $78,160 |
| 13 | Taper | $78,090 |
| 14 | HVAC Technician | $76,350 |
| 15 | Roofer | $74,490 |
| 16 | Telecom Line Installer | $73,710 |
| 17 | Sheet Metal Worker | $72,970 |
| 18 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $71,960 |
| 19 | Tile & Stone Setter | $70,560 |
| 20 | Cement Mason | $66,830 |
| 21 | Glazier | $66,130 |
| 22 | Carpenter | $64,930 |
| 23 | Drywall Installer | $61,290 |
| 24 | Welder | $60,280 |
| 25 | Construction Laborer | $60,260 |
| 26 | Floor Layer | $59,380 |
| 27 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $59,100 |
| 28 | Painter | $57,270 |
Where is the union premium biggest in Minnesota?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Minnesota 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 Minnesota.
How Minnesota trade pay is spread
Across the 28 trades tracked in Minnesota, the pay range runs from $57,270 to $128,020 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025, statewide median wages). The 25th-to-75th band — $65,830 to $94,613 — is where most trades land, with a midpoint of $75,420. Elevator Installer sits at the top at $128,020; Painter anchors the bottom at $57,270. 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota
By headcount, Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Minnesota, with about 28,530 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 Minnesota: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Minnesota?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Elevator Installer is the top-paying trade tracked in Minnesota, at a statewide median of $128,020.
- What is the lowest-paying trade in Minnesota's dataset?
- Painter sits at the bottom of the 28 trades tracked in Minnesota, with a statewide median of $57,270 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- What does the typical skilled trade pay in Minnesota?
- Across the 28 trades TradesPays tracks in Minnesota, the midpoint trade earns about $75,420 (the median of the per-trade statewide medians), with most trades falling between $65,830 and $94,613 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in Minnesota?
- TradesPays tracks 28 skilled trades at the state level in Minnesota. All figures are statewide medians from BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Which trade employs the most workers in Minnesota?
- Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Minnesota, with about 28,530 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). The trade that hires the most isn't the highest-paying — that's Elevator Installer at $128,020.
- Are Minnesota'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 Minnesota you live and work.
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