When older workers retire, their jobs open up whether or not the trade is growing. Among building inspectors, 40% of workers are 55 or older, the highest share of the 29 trades with survey figures.
The next oldest are machinists (31%) and maintenance technicians (28%). Across all U.S. jobs the median worker is 42; in these trades it ranges from 37 to 46. Yearly openings below already count retirements and people changing jobs, which is why they're much larger than job growth alone.
Trades ranked by share of workers 55 and older
Click a column to sort. Openings are national yearly averages, 2025 to 2035.
| Trade | Age 55+ | Under 25 | Median age | Openings / yr | Typical pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Inspector | 40% | 9% | 46 | 14,800 | $67,380 |
| Machinist | 31% | 7% | 46 | 26,100 | $57,050 |
| Maintenance Technician | 28% | 9% | 44 | 148,700 | $48,330 |
| Construction Supervisor | 28% | 4% | 46 | 67,000 | $77,215 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | 28% | 5% | 46 | 44,400 | $63,865 |
| Appliance Repair Technician | 27% | 4% | 46 | 2,800 | $50,540 |
| Telecom Equipment Installer | 25% | 8% | 42 | 11,300 | $62,240 |
| Painter | 25% | 11% | 43 | 24,900 | $47,640 |
| Landscaper | 24% | 16% | 42 | 149,500 | $37,540 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | 22% | 12% | 42 | 9,800 | $61,460 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 21% | 14% | 41 | 39,200 | $59,670 |
| Paving Equipment Operator | 21% | 14% | 41 | 3,100 | $49,920 |
| Telecom Line Installer | 21% | 10% | 44 | 8,000 | $66,250 |
| Carpenter | 21% | 11% | 42 | 62,800 | $56,155 |
| Brickmason | 20% | 10% | 42 | 4,100 | $62,950 |
| Diesel Mechanic | 20% | 14% | 42 | 24,400 | $60,355 |
| Drywall Installer | 19% | 13% | 38 | 6,600 | $53,860 |
| HVAC Technician | 19% | 12% | 40 | 40,600 | $59,590 |
| Plumber | 18% | 14% | 40 | 42,000 | $61,430 |
| Construction Laborer | 18% | 15% | 40 | 120,000 | $46,850 |
| Auto Mechanic | 18% | 16% | 40 | 66,200 | $48,885 |
| Electrician | 18% | 16% | 40 | 72,700 | $62,440 |
| Pest Control Technician | 17% | 9% | 39 | 13,700 | $44,460 |
| Auto Body Repairer | 16% | 10% | 41 | 12,600 | $51,680 |
| Electrical Lineworker | 13% | 14% | 39 | 10,900 | $96,805 |
| Flooring Installer | 12% | 9% | 41 | 2,200 | $55,870 |
| Tile Setter | 12% | 9% | 41 | 3,300 | $50,495 |
| Roofer | 12% | 23% | 37 | 12,000 | $50,140 |
| Concrete Finisher | 12% | 20% | 39 | 13,600 | $57,245 |
Age and gender: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, median across metros. Some trades are grouped with similar jobs in the survey; each trade page says which.
Each state also publishes its own 10-year outlook; open a trade, then a state, to see the projected openings there. To weigh pay first, see the trades ranked by pay.
Openings for every 100 workers
Openings each year for every 100 people now working in the trade. This counts retirements, people leaving for other work and new jobs, so it's the best single measure of how many doors open each year.
BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 (openings) and OEWS May 2025 (employment).
Youngest trades
The trades with the most workers under 25 are the ones young people are already choosing. Most are quicker to learn, so turnover is higher too:
- Roofer: 23% under 25, median age 37
- Concrete Finisher: 20% under 25, median age 39
- Landscaper: 16% under 25, median age 42
- Auto Mechanic: 16% under 25, median age 40
- Electrician: 16% under 25, median age 40
Older crews, good pay
Older workforce and above-middle pay: a good mix if you want a trade where experience is scarce and valued.
- Building Inspector: 40% are 55+, typical pay $67,380
- Machinist: 31% are 55+, typical pay $57,050
- Construction Supervisor: 28% are 55+, typical pay $77,215
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic: 28% are 55+, typical pay $63,865
- Telecom Equipment Installer: 25% are 55+, typical pay $62,240
- Sheet Metal Worker: 22% are 55+, typical pay $61,460
Common questions
Which trade has the oldest workers?
building inspectors: 40% are 55 or older and the median age is 46.
Is there really a shortage of tradespeople?
Openings are large compared with each trade's size. landscapers have about 18 openings a year for every 100 workers, mostly from people retiring or leaving.
What does 55 and older tell me?
Most of those workers will retire within about 10 years, so their jobs open up even if the trade doesn't grow.
Where do these figures come from?
Ages come from the BLS Current Population Survey for 2025. Openings come from BLS projections for 2025 to 2035.