What do skilled trades pay in Tennessee in 2026?
Median pay for 27 skilled trades in Tennessee (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in Tennessee are Elevator Installer (~$100,490) and Power-Line Worker (~$83,660), across 27 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$100,490
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
26,250 jobs
Across 27 trades: $43,230–$100,490 (median $52,000).
Tennessee tracks 27 skilled trades on TradesPays, and the numbers tell a clear story about where the pay ceiling sits. Elevator Installers lead the state at $100,490 — the only trade in our dataset to crack six figures. Power-Line Workers follow at $83,660, a significant step down but still well above the state's middle of the pack. Industrial Machinery Mechanics come in at $65,010, Brickmasons at $63,850, and Telecom Line Installers at $63,510. On the other end, Painters average $43,230. That's a $57,260 spread from top to bottom across the 27 trades tracked. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025. They're state-level annual wage estimates — useful for comparing trades against each other within Tennessee, but they don't break down by apprentice, journeyman, or master status, and they don't split by metro area.
Trades ranked by pay in Tennessee
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $100,490 |
| 2 | Power-Line Worker | $83,660 |
| 3 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $65,010 |
| 4 | Brickmason | $63,850 |
| 5 | Telecom Line Installer | $63,510 |
| 6 | Millwright | $61,810 |
| 7 | Electrician | $61,090 |
| 8 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $60,090 |
| 9 | Sheet Metal Worker | $59,170 |
| 10 | Plumber | $58,600 |
See all 27
| 11 | Rebar Worker | $57,920 |
| 12 | Ironworker | $56,750 |
| 13 | HVAC Technician | $55,490 |
| 14 | Construction Equipment Operator | $52,000 |
| 15 | Boilermaker | $51,810 |
| 16 | Carpenter | $50,830 |
| 17 | Floor Layer | $49,900 |
| 18 | Glazier | $48,610 |
| 19 | Welder | $48,040 |
| 20 | Cement Mason | $47,910 |
| 21 | Drywall Installer | $47,510 |
| 22 | Insulation Worker | $46,380 |
| 23 | Pipelayer | $46,020 |
| 24 | Roofer | $45,690 |
| 25 | Construction Laborer | $45,000 |
| 26 | Tile & Stone Setter | $43,570 |
| 27 | Painter | $43,230 |
Where is the union premium biggest in Tennessee?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Tennessee 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 Tennessee.
Union landscape in Tennessee
TradesPays does not have union scale data for Tennessee in our current dataset. That's a straight limitation worth knowing before you use these numbers for a job negotiation or a contract comparison. That said, some trades workers in Tennessee are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and union scale rates can differ — sometimes substantially — from the BLS averages you see on this page. If you're in a trade where collective bargaining applies to your shop or your employer, the only reliable source for your actual scale is your local. Contact them directly and ask for the current wage scale, benefit package, and any applicable area standards. Don't rely on state averages from any salary site, including TradesPays, to substitute for that conversation. For non-union workers, the BLS figures here represent what employers across Tennessee actually reported paying — they're a reasonable benchmark for where the market sits, but individual pay will vary based on employer, specialty, years in the trade, and the specific type of work being performed. Use the numbers as a starting point, not a final answer.
Cost-of-living context
Every dollar figure on this page is a nominal BLS wage — meaning it's the raw annual pay reported by Tennessee employers, with no adjustment for what that money actually buys. That distinction matters when you're comparing Tennessee trades pay to wages in other states. States that show higher nominal wages often carry higher housing, transportation, and general living costs. A Power-Line Worker earning $83,660 in Tennessee may be in a materially different financial position than a worker with the same title earning more in a high-cost state. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to these figures, and we're not going to invent one. Any COL comparison you do should use a separate, dedicated source. Within Tennessee itself, costs vary meaningfully between a rural county and a major metro area. The BLS state-level wage is an average across all those geographies — it doesn't tell you what workers in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, or Chattanooga are earning separately. If your job search or contract negotiation is tied to a specific metro, treat the state figure as a rough floor or reference point, not a precise local benchmark. We don't currently have metro-level breakdowns for Tennessee in this dataset.
Trades in Tennessee: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Tennessee?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Elevator Installers are the top earners in Tennessee at $100,490 annually — the only trade in our 27-trade dataset to reach six figures in this state.
- What is the lowest-paying skilled trade tracked in Tennessee?
- Painters average $43,230 per year in Tennessee according to our dataset. That's the lowest annual wage among the 27 trades TradesPays tracks for this state.
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in Tennessee?
- TradesPays currently tracks 27 skilled trades at the state level in Tennessee, all sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.
- Does TradesPays have union scale rates for Tennessee?
- No. Union scale data is not available in our current Tennessee dataset. If a collective bargaining agreement covers your trade, contact your local directly for current scale rates — those figures won't appear here.
- Are these wages broken down by apprentice, journeyman, or master level?
- No. The BLS state-level wage figures are overall averages across all experience levels and employment situations. TradesPays does not have an apprentice, journeyman, or master-level split for Tennessee at this time.
- Can I use these Tennessee wages to compare against other states?
- You can compare nominal dollar figures, but keep in mind these are not cost-of-living adjusted. A higher wage in another state doesn't automatically mean more purchasing power. Use a separate cost-of-living source if you're evaluating a cross-state move.
- Do these figures reflect wages in specific Tennessee cities like Nashville or Memphis?
- No. These are state-level averages from BLS and cover all of Tennessee. TradesPays does not currently have metro-level breakdowns for this state, so the figures won't reflect local conditions in any specific city or region.
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