High-paying skilled trades jobs now reach $120,000 to $200,000 a year in the strongest markets, and BlackRock says the AI buildout will create “$150,000 jobs” the country cannot yet staff. In 2026, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians are growing faster than the average U.S. job, and most people get in through a paid apprenticeship instead of a four-year degree. Here is what these trades pay, which are in highest demand, and how to start.
For years, people treated the skilled trades shortage like a niche workforce issue. It is not. One of the most powerful firms in finance now says what contractors and field leaders have said for years: America is heading into a historic infrastructure buildout, and there are not enough skilled workers to do the work.
How much do high-paying skilled trades jobs pay in 2026?
Skilled trades pay a solid median and a strong ceiling. The median electrician earned $62,350 in May 2024, plumbers and pipefitters $62,970, and HVAC mechanics $59,810, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top end runs much higher.
Larry Fink’s “$150,000 jobs” line grabbed headlines. Fortune reported the detail that makes it real. In the Washington, D.C. market, journeyman electricians at IBEW Local 26 earn about $59.50 an hour, more than $120,000 a year before benefits, and with overtime or supervisory roles annual earnings can approach $200,000.
| Trade | Median Pay (May 2024, BLS) | Projected Growth 2024-2034 |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $62,350 | 9% (about 81,000 openings/yr) |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, Steamfitters | $62,970 | 4% (about 44,000 openings/yr) |
| HVAC Mechanics and Installers | $59,810 | 8% (about 40,100 openings/yr) |
Pay moves on a few clear factors. Region matters most. Union scale, overtime, hazardous or high-voltage work, and moving into foreman or supervisor roles all push earnings toward that top end. Specialty work in data centers, power, and industrial pays more than light residential. See the full breakdown of the highest-paying skilled trades in construction for role-by-role ranges.
For current field and leadership pay across markets, download the 2026 Construction Salary Survey.
Which skilled trades are in highest demand?
Electricians, HVAC technicians, and plumbers lead demand, and the numbers are not soft. Electricians are projected to grow about 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, versus 3 percent for all occupations, with about 81,000 openings a year. HVAC mechanics and installers are projected to grow about 8 percent, with roughly 40,100 openings a year. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are projected to grow about 4 percent, with about 44,000 openings a year.
BlackRock’s own analysis of BLS data reaches the same conclusion. Infrastructure-related trades are set to grow faster than the national average, and retirements are pulling experienced workers out faster than new ones come in. That is structural demand, not a short cycle.
What is BlackRock’s $100 million skilled trades investment?
BlackRock launched a $100 million initiative called Future Builders, aimed at reaching 50,000 workers over five years. The firm believes the U.S. needs roughly $10 trillion in investment by 2033 to build AI infrastructure and modernize traditional infrastructure.
This is not charity. Capital can see the bottleneck. On Bret Baier’s Special Report, Larry Fink said BlackRock wants to help train young Americans “whether it’s in plumbing or electricians,” called these “$150,000 jobs,” and warned that if the U.S. does not solve the labor gap, China wins. That reframes the shortage from a contractor problem into a national competitiveness problem.
Why is AI creating a skilled trades boom?
When most people hear “AI jobs,” they think software engineers and chip designers. That is part of the story, not all of it. AI also demands a giant physical buildout: data centers, substations, transmission upgrades, generation capacity, backup power, cooling systems, and grid resilience work.
That buildout needs people with tools, licenses, and field experience. Electricians. Plumbers and pipefitters. HVAC talent. Ironworkers. Operators and installers. Fortune quoted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang saying AI factories need electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, steelworkers, network technicians, installers, and operators, and that these are skilled, well-paid jobs in short supply. This is not a niche construction cycle. It is the physical backbone of the next economy.
How do you start a skilled trades career without a degree?
Most trades start with a registered apprenticeship, not a four-year degree. You earn while you learn. You enter earlier, avoid most college debt, and build a skill that is hard to offshore or automate.
The path is straightforward. Apply to a union local or a non-union apprenticeship program, or hire on with a contractor that trains. Work paid hours under a journeyman while finishing classroom instruction. Test for your license or journeyman card. From there the ladder runs to foreman, superintendent, estimator, or self-employment.
Ready to move? Browse open construction jobs nationwide or use our career resources for construction candidates to position your resume for the highest-paying markets.
Why aren’t there enough skilled trades workers?
Two things hold the pipeline back: training capacity and image. The country does not just need more interested people. It needs more apprenticeship slots, instructors, and mentors. BlackRock’s paper uses electricians as the example and says current training capacity is not enough to offset projected growth and retirements. Closing the gap means scaling registered apprenticeships and better coordination among government, labor, employers, colleges, and nonprofits.
The image problem is just as real. Too many young people still picture dirty, unstable, low-status work. That picture is outdated. These are careers tied to AI infrastructure, energy resilience, and six-figure upside in the right markets. Students cannot choose a path they have never really seen.
What should contractors and hiring managers do now?
If BlackRock is right about the scale of demand, waiting for the market to cool off is not a strategy. The firms that pull ahead will not only pay more. They will train better, onboard better, and develop leaders earlier.
Build the pipeline before you need it. Set up apprenticeship partnerships, internal training, and a visible path from field to foreman. This is a retention story as much as a recruiting one. If you do not give younger workers real mentorship and advancement, someone else will.
When a seat is too important to leave open, our construction recruiting team places field and leadership talent across commercial, healthcare, data center, industrial, and heavy civil work.
Bottom line: BlackRock’s $100 million Future Builders initiative confirms what the market has signaled for years. The next great labor shortage is not only in offices and code. It is in the skilled trades that will physically build the AI economy. Yes, AI will eliminate some jobs. It is also opening one of the best American-dream openings this generation has seen: earn early, skip most of the debt, learn while you work, and build toward six-figure pay in a market with real growth.
What is the biggest barrier to rebuilding the skilled trades pipeline right now: awareness, training capacity, or image?
Skilled Trades Jobs FAQ
How much do skilled trades jobs pay in 2026?
Median pay runs about $60,000 to $63,000 for electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians, per BLS May 2024 data. The top end is higher. Fortune reported journeyman electricians in the D.C. market earning more than $120,000 a year, approaching $200,000 with overtime or supervisory roles.
What is the highest-paying skilled trade?
Electricians and pipefitters or steamfitters sit at the top of the common trades, especially in union markets and specialty work like data centers, power, and industrial. Pay climbs with region, overtime, licensing, and moving into foreman or supervisor roles.
Can you make $150,000 in the skilled trades?
Yes, in the right role and market. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink called the AI-driven trades roles “$150,000 jobs.” That figure reflects top-end and supervisory earnings in high-cost, high-demand markets, not the national median.
Do skilled trades require a college degree?
No. Most trades start with a paid apprenticeship that combines on-the-job hours with classroom instruction. You earn while you train and avoid most college debt. Licensing, not a bachelor’s degree, is what employers require.
Which skilled trades are in highest demand?
Electricians, HVAC technicians, and plumbers lead demand. BLS projects electricians to grow 9 percent and HVAC 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, both faster than the 3 percent average for all jobs, driven by the AI infrastructure buildout and retirements.
What is BlackRock’s Future Builders initiative?
Future Builders is a $100 million initiative BlackRock launched in 2026 to train the next generation of skilled trades workers, aiming to reach 50,000 workers over five years and help fill the labor gap behind America’s infrastructure and AI buildout.
