What do skilled trades pay in New York in 2026?

Which trade is best in New York?

Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.

Across 30 trades: $55,930–$135,720 (median $73,425).

Trades ranked by pay in New York

Where is the union premium biggest in New York?

Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.

Union data is partial for New York (2 of 30 trades) — submitting your pay helps build complete data for New York.

Union landscape in New York

Two of the strongest union contracts in the country run through New York, and the wage premiums reflect it. Electricians covered under IBEW Local 3 (New York) at journeyman scale earn $43,970 above the statewide BLS mean for that trade — that's not a rounding error, that's a career-defining difference. Plumbers under UA Local 1 (New York) at journeyman scale sit $43,150 above the statewide BLS mean for plumbers. Both locals operate primarily in and around New York City, so the premium is real but it's also tied to a specific geography and cost environment — more on that below. IBEW Local 3 covers inside wiremen, including commercial and industrial electrical work across the New York City metro. UA Local 1 represents plumbers and steamfitters in New York City proper. If you're working in those trades outside the city — upstate, Long Island under different locals, or non-union — your number won't match journeyman scale. TradesPays reports the scale figure as a reference point, not a guarantee. It's worth knowing what the contract says before you sign on with any shop. Union density in New York's construction trades is among the highest in the country, which keeps floor wages elevated even for non-union contractors competing for the same workers.

Cost-of-living context

Everything on this page is nominal BLS dollars — the actual figures reported by employers to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They are not adjusted for cost of living, and TradesPays doesn't manufacture COL indices to make the numbers look better or worse than they are. Here's what that means in plain terms: a $135,720 Elevator Installer wage in New York and the same wage in a lower-cost state do not buy the same life. New York — particularly New York City and its surrounding suburbs — consistently ranks among the most expensive places to live in the country. Housing, taxes, and transportation all take bigger bites here than in most other states. That doesn't mean the wages aren't worth chasing; it means you have to do the math for your own situation. The honest framing is this: higher nominal pay and higher costs tend to travel together in New York. A Construction Laborer at $55,930 faces a harder squeeze here than the same wage would produce elsewhere. An Elevator Installer at $135,720 is in a much stronger position, but 'strong' is relative to what rent, transit, and taxes look like in the borough or county where the job actually sits. Use the figures here as a starting point for your own comparison, not a finish line.

Trades in New York: FAQ

How many trades does TradesPays track in New York?

TradesPays tracks 30 skilled trades in New York, all based on BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide annual mean wages.

What is the highest-paying skilled trade in New York?

Elevator Installer comes in at the top at $135,720 statewide annual mean, per BLS OEWS May 2025 data.

What is the lowest-paying trade tracked in New York?

Construction Laborer is the lowest at $55,930 statewide annual mean. That's a gap of nearly $80,000 between the bottom and the top trade tracked.

Are union wage premiums included in the BLS statewide figures?

Not automatically. The BLS mean blends union and non-union workers. TradesPays reports union journeyman scale separately — IBEW Local 3 (New York) adds $43,970 above the electrician mean; UA Local 1 (New York) adds $43,150 above the plumber mean. These are contract scale figures, not survey averages.

Do the wages shown reflect New York City specifically, or the whole state?

These are statewide figures. TradesPays does not currently provide metro-level breakdowns for New York. Wages in New York City — especially under major union locals — will often exceed the statewide mean, while some upstate or rural areas may fall below it.

Are the wages adjusted for New York's cost of living?

No. All figures are nominal BLS dollars. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living adjustments. New York carries significant costs — housing, taxes, and transportation in particular — that nominal wages alone don't capture. Factor those in separately for your situation.

Which trades in New York have the most visible union presence?

Electricians (IBEW Local 3) and plumbers (UA Local 1) are two of the most prominent examples tracked on TradesPays in New York, with journeyman scale premiums of $43,970 and $43,150 respectively above statewide BLS means. New York's construction sector has broad union density across multiple trades, but specific local coverage and scale rates vary by trade and region.

Other states to compare