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Trade Salary Calculator

Estimate earnings by trade, experience level, region and overtime.

Role

Journeyman scale is anchored to $29.61/hr, the national median for this trade.

Apprentice rates are a percentage of journeyman scale, as on a step schedule.

Location

Pittsburgh sits at 1.00× the national cost of labor. This is a planning approximation, not a local wage survey.

Hours and agreement
hrs

Paid at 1.5× base, averaged across 50 weeks of the year.

Journeyman, Pittsburgh

$72,693per year

$29.61/hr base.
Hourly rate100% of scale × 1.00 cost index
$29.61/hr
Annual base2,080 hours at straight time
$61,589
Overtime5 hrs/wk at $44.42/hr
$11,104
Position in the national rangeAcross the $38,150 to $104,180 band for electricians
52%

Where this lands against national pay for electricians

$38,15010th percentile$61,590Median$104,18090th percentile

$72,693 sits 52% of the way from the 10th percentile to the 90th for this trade nationally. The median is $61,590, marked in red.

Progression for electricians in Pittsburgh
LevelHourlyAnnual baseWith overtime
Apprentice, year 1$13.32/hr$27,715$32,712
Apprentice, year 2$16.29/hr$33,874$39,981
Apprentice, year 3$20.13/hr$41,880$49,431
Apprentice, year 4$24.28/hr$50,503$59,608
Journeyman (selected)$29.61/hr$61,589$72,693
Senior journeyman$34.05/hr$70,827$83,596
Foreman$39.09/hr$81,297$95,954
Master or owner-operator$47.38/hr$98,542$116,308

Check your local's wage sheet for a real number

Union scale, prevailing wage on public projects and metro-specific shortages move actual pay well outside these ranges — sometimes by a third or more in either direction. Every local publishes a wage sheet with the exact rate for every step, and state agencies publish prevailing wage determinations by county and classification. Those are the real numbers; this is a planning estimate built on national medians.

What this assumes

  • Base figures are BLS national medians by occupation; see the source note on each trade page.
  • Regional adjustment uses a cost-of-labor index and is an approximation, not a local wage survey.
  • Overtime is calculated at 1.5× base for hours beyond 40 per week.

Important

Union scale, prevailing wage projects and metro-specific shortages can move actual pay well outside these ranges. Check your local's wage sheet for a real number.

Understanding the result

Medians hide the spread

The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile in most trades is more than double. What moves you up that distribution is licensing, specialization, willingness to travel, and eventually ownership — not years alone.

Apprentice pay steps up on a schedule

Apprentices typically start near 40–50% of journeyman scale and receive scheduled increases every six to twelve months as hours and classroom credits accumulate. By the final year most are at 80–90% of scale.

Overtime changes the annual number significantly

A journeyman electrician at $35/hour base earns $72,800 at 40 hours per week. At 5 hours overtime weekly (common in busy shops), annual pay rises to $86,100. Ten overtime hours per week pushes it to $99,450. Overtime is the largest variable in trade earnings.

Prevailing wage projects pay more

Government and union prevailing wage projects often pay 30 to 80% above open-shop rates. A journeyman electrician earning $35/hour open shop may earn $55 to $75/hour on a prevailing wage job. These projects require Davis-Bacon compliance and certified payroll.

Common questions

How much does an electrician make?
The BLS median for electricians is $60,240 per year ($28.96/hour). Entry-level apprentices start at $15 to $20/hour. Experienced journeymen in high-cost metros earn $75,000 to $100,000. Master electricians and contractors with their own shops commonly exceed $100,000.
How much does a plumber make per hour?
The BLS median is $28.26/hour ($58,780/year). Apprentices start at $14 to $18/hour. Union journeymen in major metros earn $40 to $55/hour. Service plumbers with emergency call premiums often exceed $80,000 annually. Master plumbers running their own shops can exceed $120,000.
How much do HVAC technicians make?
The BLS median is $51,390 per year ($24.71/hour). Entry-level techs start at $16 to $20/hour. Experienced commercial HVAC techs earn $30 to $40/hour. With overtime during peak season, annual earnings of $65,000 to $85,000 are common in busy markets.
How much do welders make?
The BLS median is $47,010 per year ($22.60/hour). Structural welders earn $40,000 to $55,000. Pipe welders and certified TIG welders on industrial projects earn $60,000 to $90,000. Underwater and pipeline welders can exceed $100,000 with travel and per-diem.
How much do apprentice electricians make?
Apprentice electricians typically start at 40 to 50% of journeyman scale — $14 to $18/hour in most markets. Pay increases every 6 to 12 months as hours accumulate. By the fifth year, apprentices earn 80 to 90% of journeyman rate ($24 to $30/hour).
What is the highest paying trade?
Elevator and escalator installers top BLS data at $99,000 median. Electrical power-line installers earn $85,000 median. Among common residential trades, electricians and plumbers have the highest medians at $60,000 and $59,000. Specialty industrial trades (boilermaker, pipefitter) exceed $65,000.
How much do carpenters make?
The BLS median is $51,390 per year ($24.71/hour). Finish carpenters and cabinet makers earn more than framing carpenters. Union carpenters in major metros earn $35 to $50/hour. Self-employed finish carpenters with established clientele can exceed $80,000.
Do union trades pay more?
Union journeymen typically earn 15 to 40% more than open-shop counterparts in the same market, plus pension and health benefits valued at $15,000 to $25,000 per year. The trade-off is union dues (1.5 to 3% of gross) and less flexibility in job selection.
How much do roofers make?
The BLS median is $47,110 per year ($22.65/hour). Residential roofers are often paid per square (100 square feet) rather than hourly — $100 to $200 per square installed. Experienced crews on steep-slope or commercial work earn $50,000 to $70,000.
What state pays electricians the most?
Illinois, New York, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia have the highest electrician mean wages at $75,000 to $85,000. High wages correlate with high cost of living and strong union presence. Adjust for cost of living before comparing — $80,000 in Chicago is not equivalent to $80,000 in rural Texas.

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