The Best Skilled Trade Jobs for 2026
Quick answer: The best trades to get into right now are electrician, plumber, HVAC technician, elevator installer and power-line installer. Elevator installers earn the most at $109,910 and power-line installers earn $95,320 (BLS, May 2025), against $50,980 for all occupations. Electricians ($63,190), plumbers ($63,800) and HVAC technicians ($61,010) pay near $60,000 and keep hiring: BLS projects about 72,700 electrician openings a year through 2035. The table below ranks twelve trades so you can compare pay before you choose.
Last updated: October 26, 2026. Pay figures below come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Trade | Median pay (May 2025) | Typical training |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 | 4-year apprenticeship |
| Electricians | $63,190 | 4 to 5 year apprenticeship |
| HVAC technicians (heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics) | $61,010 | 6 months to 2 years of school, plus on-the-job training |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $63,800 | 4 to 5 year apprenticeship |
| Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers | $53,750 | Several months of on-the-job training |
New to the trades? Start with our 90-day action plan for entry-level trade jobs. Want to train first? See the Virtual Trade School, then browse open trade jobs or head back to The Blue Collar Recruiter.
Not all skilled trades are created equal. Some offer six-figure potential, strong job security, and excellent work-life balance. Others pay poorly, destroy your body, and face declining demand.
Here’s an honest breakdown of the best and worst skilled trade jobs in 2026, based on pay, job outlook, physical demands, and long-term career prospects.
The Best Trades to Get Into in 2026 and 2027
1. Elevator Installers and Repair Technicians
Median salary: $99,000
Top earners: $130,000-$150,000+
Job growth: 6% through 2032
Elevator mechanics install, maintain, and repair elevators, escalators, and moving walkways. This trade combines mechanical aptitude, electronics knowledge, and safety expertise.
Why it’s great:
The work is highly specialized with limited competition. You can’t learn elevator repair on YouTube. Buildings in major cities need constant elevator maintenance, creating steady demand. Union representation ensures strong wages and benefits in most markets. Physical demands are moderate compared to other trades.
The catch: Entry requires a union apprenticeship (typically 4 years), which can be competitive to get into. Work often involves heights and confined spaces. Jobs concentrate in major metropolitan areas with high-rise buildings.
2. Electricians (Commercial and Industrial)
Median salary: $85,000-$95,000
Top earners: $120,000-$180,000+
Job growth: 6% through 2032
Electricians who focus on commercial and industrial work earn significantly more than residential electricians. They work on complex systems in manufacturing facilities, data centers, hospitals, and commercial buildings.
Why it’s great:
Strong demand across all markets. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electrician jobs are growing faster than average with excellent long-term prospects. Work is mentally engaging with constant problem-solving. Advancement paths lead to project management, business ownership, or specialized niches like renewable energy or building automation.
Industrial electricians who specialize in PLCs (programmable logic controllers) or high-voltage systems command premium rates. The work is challenging but not as physically brutal as trades like roofing or concrete.
The catch: Requires 4-5 year apprenticeship. Keeping up with code changes and new technologies requires ongoing education.
3. HVAC Technicians (Commercial Focus)
Median salary: $80,000-$90,000
Top earners: $110,000-$160,000+
Job growth: 5% through 2032
HVAC technicians who specialize in commercial systems, chillers, or building automation earn significantly more than residential techs. Hospitals, office buildings, and manufacturing facilities need climate control 24/7.
Why it’s great:
Strong job security in all climates. Everyone needs heating and cooling. Emergency service calls pay premium rates. Maintenance contracts provide recurring revenue for business owners. Physical demands are moderate. Career progression leads to specializations like building automation, energy management, or business ownership.
The Blue Collar Recruiter reports HVAC is consistently one of the fastest-growing skilled trades with massive employer demand.
The catch: Florida’s hard water and heat destroy equipment faster, creating more emergency calls but also more stress. Summer months mean brutal attic work.
4. Plumbers (Master Level)
Median salary: $85,000-$95,000
Top earners: $120,000-$200,000+
Job growth: 2% through 2032
Master plumbers with commercial experience command excellent wages. They handle complex systems, pull permits, supervise crews, and often run their own businesses.
Why it’s great:
Essential service that can’t be outsourced or automated. Emergency calls pay premium rates. Master license allows business ownership with unlimited income potential. Work is varied and mentally engaging. Less physical wear than trades like roofing or concrete once you reach master level.
The catch: Takes 4-5 years to complete apprenticeship plus additional time to obtain master license. You deal with literal shit sometimes. Emergency calls mean working nights and weekends occasionally.
5. Welders (Specialized)
Median salary: $75,000-$85,000
Specialized: $100,000-$200,000+
Job growth: 2% through 2032
Basic welders make decent money. Specialized welders in underwater, pipeline, or aerospace work make six figures easily.
Why it’s great:
Specialized certifications create massive earning potential. Pipeline welders travel for $80,000-$150,000+ annual contracts. Underwater welders earn $100,000-$200,000+. Work is skilled and respected. Career progression leads to welding inspection, supervision, or business ownership.
The catch: Requires willingness to travel for highest-paying work. Some specializations (underwater, pipeline) involve dangerous conditions. Basic welding jobs face competition, requiring specialization for top earnings.
How to Choose the Right Trade
Physical sustainability. Can you do this work at 50? At 60?
Advancement potential. Does the trade lead to business ownership, specializations, or supervisory roles?
Lifestyle fit. Does it match your preferences for travel, hours, and work-life balance?
Training accessibility. How long and expensive is training? Can you access quality programs?
The best trades offer strong wages, good job security, reasonable physical demands, and clear advancement paths. The worst trades pay poorly, destroy your body, and offer limited career progression.
Get Training in High-Demand Trades
If you’re considering skilled trades, focus on the winners. The Blue Collar Recruiter’s Virtual Trade School offers training in high-demand trades like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical that actually pay well and offer career advancement.
Ready to start a skilled trades career? Contact The Blue Collar Recruiter to explore training options and connect with employers hiring in your area. We operate nationwide connecting trained workers with companies desperate for skilled tradespeople.
Choose a trade with a future, not just a paycheck today.
Explore growing markets — find blue collar jobs in Traverse City, MI on BC Recruits.
Finding the right trade job is step one — owning the business is step two. The Franchise Recruiter helps skilled workers at any stage explore franchise ownership in the home services and trades industries where their skills translate directly to business success.
For tradespeople in the plumbing and HVAC space, water heater knowledge is essential. Discount Water Heaters provides a useful breakdown of water heater installation and options—helpful context for HVAC and plumbing tradespeople looking to expand their service menu and command higher rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which skilled trades pay the least?
Among the trades compared in this guide, construction laborers and helpers have the lowest median pay at $46,680, according to BLS May 2025 data.
Which skilled trade has the most openings?
Electricians have the most openings in this comparison, with about 72,700 a year from 2025 to 2035, according to BLS.
Looking for the Best-Paying Trades Jobs Near You?
Blue Collar Recruiter specializes in placing skilled tradespeople in high-paying positions. See how our trades job placement service works and browse current job openings in your area. Employers can post positions and hire faster here.
Ready to apply? Browse open trades roles on our jobs board. Hiring for your own company? See how The Blue Collar Recruiter helps employers fill skilled positions.
How the Best and Worst Trades Compare on Pay
| Trade | Median pay (BLS, May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $95,320 |
| Boilermakers | $76,410 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $63,800 |
| Electricians | $63,190 |
| Ironworkers | $61,910 |
| Sheet metal workers | $61,800 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $61,010 |
| Carpenters | $60,580 |
| Roofers | $55,440 |
| Solar photovoltaic installers | $53,140 |
| Construction laborers and helpers | $46,680 |
The national median for all occupations is $50,980. Construction laborers and helpers sit below it, which makes that role an entry point that works best as a step into a licensed trade.
Best Trades by Growth and Annual Openings, 2025 to 2035
Pay tells only part of the story. BLS also publishes how fast each trade is projected to grow and how many openings it creates each year. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same decade.
| Trade | Median pay, May 2025 | Growth, 2025 to 2035 | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers | $109,910 | 5.7% | 1,900 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $95,320 | 10.3% | 10,900 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $63,800 | 6.8% | 42,000 |
| Electricians | $63,190 | 9.2% | 72,700 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $61,010 | 10.9% | 40,600 |
| Carpenters | $60,580 | 3.9% | 62,800 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers | $53,750 | 2.4% | 40,300 |
What is the best trade to get into?
For pay, elevator and escalator installers lead at $109,910. For hiring volume, electricians have about 72,700 openings a year, and HVAC technicians show the fastest growth in this table at 10.9%. Electricians train through a 4 or 5 year paid apprenticeship, so match the trade to the training time you can commit.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 (released August 27, 2026). Wages are May 2025 medians.
Five Questions to Ask Before You Choose a Trade
What does it pay compared with $50,980? Use the table above as a starting point, then check wages in your state.
How do you train? Paid apprenticeships let you earn while you learn, while school programs charge tuition up front.
What does the work demand physically? Roofing and ironwork wear on the body faster than controls or inspection work.
Does your state require a license? Electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians usually do, which adds a step but also raises earning power.
Who is hiring near you? Local demand decides how fast a new worker gets a first offer.
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