What skilled trades pay in Washington, DC, where the jobs are and how work is changing, from 37 public government sources. The best-paying trade here is elevator installer at a $122,570 median. For every trade and metro, start from the Washington, DC pay page.
How Washington, DC compares
27 of the 28 trades we track in Washington, DC pay more than in a typical U.S. metro. The biggest premiums are for paving equipment operator (+83%), plumber (+64%) and telecom line installer (+47%), and the biggest gaps for ironworker (-4%) and brickmason (+2%). Prices in Washington, DC's metros run about 9% above the U.S. average, and a typical 1-bedroom rents for $2,177 a month (U.S. metros: $1,097).
Best-paying trades in Washington, DC
Statewide median pay, BLS May 2025. The lowest-paying trade we track here is landscaper at $48,790.
Every trade in Washington, DC
| Trade | Median pay | vs. U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Lineworker | $101,240 | +5% | 150 |
| Plumber | $101,020 | +64% | 1,010 |
| Telecom Line Installer | $97,600 | +47% | 500 |
| Paving Equipment Operator | $91,280 | +83% | 70 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $87,670 | +37% | 200 |
| Construction Supervisor | $86,520 | +12% | 1,420 |
| Building Inspector | $86,200 | +28% | 370 |
| HVAC Technician | $84,390 | +42% | 400 |
| Electrician | $78,970 | +26% | 2,440 |
| Glazier | $78,390 | +42% | 200 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $74,610 | +25% | 620 |
| Telecom Equipment Installer | $73,130 | +17% | 300 |
| Machinist | $72,900 | +28% | 160 |
| Auto Mechanic | $68,660 | +40% | 310 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $65,200 | +8% | 110 |
| Brickmason | $64,450 | +2% | 200 |
| Auto Body Repairer | $62,640 | +21% | 30 |
| Roofer | $61,750 | +23% | 100 |
| Carpenter | $61,710 | +10% | 1,540 |
| Concrete Finisher | $61,680 | +8% | 320 |
| Ironworker | $61,240 | -4% | 210 |
| Maintenance Technician | $60,310 | +25% | 4,860 |
| Hazmat Removal Worker | $60,240 | +25% | 50 |
| Welder | $60,180 | +15% | 280 |
| Painter | $59,520 | +25% | 500 |
| Construction Laborer | $50,020 | +7% | 2,090 |
| Landscaper | $48,790 | +30% | 800 |
Statewide medians and jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025. “vs. U.S.” compares with the typical U.S. metro median for the trade.
Where the jobs are
- Maintenance Technician: 4,860 jobs
- Electrician: 2,440 jobs
- Construction Laborer: 2,090 jobs
- Carpenter: 1,540 jobs
- Construction Supervisor: 1,420 jobs
Construction hiring
- Washington: +4.0% (153,584 workers)
Change in private construction jobs from a year earlier, 2026 Q1, metros with at least 5,000 construction workers (BLS QCEW).
Unions
9.2% of Washington, DC workers belong to a union (10.7% are covered by a union contract), compared with about 10% nationally (all jobs, 2025).
Apprenticeships
Registered apprentices in Washington, DC who finished or left a program in FY2020–2024 completed most often in electrician (66%), carpenter (65%) and painter (28%).
Wages and safety
Unpaid wages recovered
Since 2018, the U.S. Labor Department has concluded 65 wage cases against construction employers in Washington, DC, recovering $2,263,782 in back wages for 721 workers.offer check and keep your own record of hours.
DOL Wage and Hour Division enforcement data, cases concluded 2018–2026. Counts only; employers aren't named here.
Safety inspections
In 2025, federal OSHA opened 126 inspections of construction worksites in the state. About 9% were set off by a complaint, a referral or an accident (0 after an accident or fatality); the rest were planned spot checks.
OSHA inspection data via the U.S. Department of Labor, construction (NAICS 23), inspections opened in 2025. Counts only.
Storm and disaster rebuild work
Since 2016, the Washington, DC metros with the most federal major disasters are Washington (7) (FEMA).
Veterans
Veterans: train on the job with the GI Bill
In Washington, DC, 48 employers and programs are approved for GI Bill on-the-job training and apprenticeships, across all fields. Veterans in an approved trade apprenticeship can get a monthly housing allowance on top of apprentice pay. Search approved employers with the VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, GI Bill Comparison Tool data, October 2026.
Common questions
What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Washington, DC?
Elevator Installer pays the most of the trades we track, with a $122,570 statewide median (BLS, May 2025), followed by electrical lineworker and plumber.
Which trade has the most jobs in Washington, DC?
maintenance technicians, with about 4,860 jobs statewide, followed by electricians and construction laborers.
Is construction hiring growing in Washington, DC?
In 2026 Q1, private construction jobs were up 4.0% from a year earlier in Washington, the fastest-changing large market in the state.
Part of the State of Trade Pay 2026 report. Cite as “PayByTrade, State of Trade Pay in Washington, DC 2026, payby.trade/report/dc/.”