What do skilled trades pay in North Carolina in 2026?

Which trade is best in North Carolina?

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

Across 28 trades: $43,180–$107,700 (median $49,515).

Trades ranked by pay in North Carolina

Where is the union premium biggest in North Carolina?

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

We don't have union scale data for North Carolina 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 North Carolina.

Union landscape in North Carolina

TradesPays has no union scale data in its current set for North Carolina. That's a real gap worth naming plainly: union scale wages, benefits, and hours can differ substantially from the BLS statewide averages shown here, and those averages blend union and non-union workers together without separating them out. Some workers in North Carolina's skilled trades are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. If that describes you — or if you're weighing whether it might — the only reliable source for current scale rates, benefit contributions, and jurisdiction rules is your local itself. Rates are negotiated on a contract cycle and can change; anything published elsewhere is likely already out of date. For workers on the non-union side, the BLS figures here are the most consistent public benchmark available at the state level. They don't reflect individual employer pay scales, overtime, or shift differentials, so treat them as a floor for your research, not a ceiling on what you can negotiate.

Cost-of-living context

Every number on this page is a nominal dollar figure straight from BLS — meaning it's not adjusted for what that money actually buys in a given city or county. A $62,990 Millwright wage in a rural Piedmont county stretches differently than the same number in the Research Triangle, where housing costs have climbed hard over the past several years. TradesPays does not publish cost-of-living indices, and we're not going to invent one. What's worth knowing: North Carolina's overall cost of living has historically run below the national average, which can make its nominal wages more competitive in practice than a straight comparison to higher-wage states might suggest. But that varies sharply by metro area. The Triangle, Charlotte, and Asheville have seen significant housing cost increases, while many rural counties remain considerably cheaper. The honest move is to pull local housing, transportation, and tax data for the specific area where you'd be working and set it next to the wage offer on the table. The statewide BLS average tells you roughly where the market sits — it doesn't tell you whether a specific job in a specific county is a good deal for your situation. Use these numbers as a starting point, not a final answer.

Trades in North Carolina: FAQ

How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in North Carolina?

28 trades are tracked in the North Carolina dataset, all based on BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide averages.

What is the highest-paying skilled trade in North Carolina?

Elevator Installer tops the list at $107,700 — the only trade in the state data that averages above six figures.

What does a Power-Line Worker earn in North Carolina?

Power-Line Workers average $77,270 statewide according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data, making it the second-highest-paying trade tracked in the state.

What is the lowest average wage among tracked trades in North Carolina?

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers average $43,180, the lowest figure among the 28 trades in the North Carolina dataset.

Does TradesPays have union scale wage data for North Carolina?

No. There is no union scale data in the current TradesPays set for North Carolina. If you're covered by a collective bargaining agreement or considering union work, contact your local directly for current negotiated rates.

Are these wages adjusted for cost of living in North Carolina?

No. All figures are nominal BLS dollars and are not adjusted for cost of living. What those wages buy will vary depending on where in the state you're working — costs in the Triangle or Charlotte differ significantly from rural counties.

Does TradesPays break out wages by apprentice, journeyman, or master level in North Carolina?

Not beyond union scale, and there's no union scale data for this state in our set. The BLS figures are statewide averages across experience levels and employer types — they don't separate out career stage or certification tier.

Other states to compare