The construction industry is sending a clear signal to the workforce: skilled craft workers are in demand, and the pay reflects it.
The 2026 Construction Craft Salary Survey, published by the National Center for Construction Education and Research, shows average annual salaries ranging from $52,000 for hydroblasters to more than $116,000 for project managers. The survey drew data from 153 voluntary organizations representing approximately 225,000 employees across the industrial, commercial and residential construction sectors throughout the United States.
For construction company owners and workforce development professionals, the numbers offer both a benchmark and a challenge. Wages have climbed high enough to attract new talent — but they also underscore the growing pressure to compete for a finite pool of experienced workers.
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Before diving into the broader findings, here is a look at the top 10 highest-compensated craft positions identified in this year's survey. These figures represent average annual salaries and do not include overtime, per diem or other incentive pay.
1. Project Manager — $116,938: The highest-paying role in the survey, project managers oversee the full scope of construction operations, coordinating schedules, budgets, subcontractors and client relationships. The six-figure salary reflects both the breadth of responsibility and the years of field experience typically required to reach this level.
2. Project Superintendent — $115,618: Closely trailing project managers, superintendents serve as the on-site authority for day-to-day construction operations. They manage crews, enforce safety protocols and ensure that work stays on schedule. The near-identical pay to project managers signals how critical this role is to a project's success.
3. General Foreman — $92,530: General foremen bridge the gap between upper management and the craft workforce. They coordinate multiple crews and trades on larger projects, and their compensation reflects the organizational complexity that comes with that responsibility.
4. Tower Crane Operator — $86,320: Operating some of the most visible and technically demanding equipment on any job site, tower crane operators command premium wages. Their work requires precise training, licensing and situational awareness that few workers possess.
5. Craft Foreman — $85,680: Craft foremen lead individual trade crews and are often the first point of contact for workers on the ground. Their compensation acknowledges both their technical expertise and their leadership role.
6. Instrumentation Technician — $84,745: These specialists install, calibrate and maintain the measurement and control instruments used across industrial facilities. The technical depth required for this role — often tied to oil, gas and chemical plant operations — keeps wages competitive.
7. Mobile Crane Operator — $84,847: Essentially tied with instrumentation technicians, mobile crane operators earn strong wages for their ability to maneuver heavy lifting equipment in dynamic, often congested job-site environments.
8. HVAC Technician — $80,848: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning technicians are in high demand across both commercial and residential construction. As energy efficiency standards become more stringent and building systems grow more complex, HVAC expertise commands increasingly higher compensation.
9. Boilermaker — $80,811: Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain and repair boilers, closed vats and other large vessels that hold liquids and gases. The physically demanding and technically specialized nature of this work keeps salaries near the $81,000 mark.
10. Combo Welder — $79,221: Combo welders — those certified in multiple welding processes — round out the top 10. Their versatility makes them valuable across structural, pipeline and industrial settings, and that flexibility is reflected in their pay.
The salary data comes at a time when the construction industry faces significant labor shortages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistently reported construction job openings outpacing the available pool of qualified applicants, a trend that has only intensified as infrastructure investment and residential building activity remain elevated nationwide.
For owners of construction companies, these salary benchmarks are not just informational — they are strategic. Knowing what competitors are paying across 38 craft categories gives business owners the data they need to structure compensation packages that attract and retain skilled workers.
The survey's broad scope strengthens its credibility. Drawing from 153 organizations and roughly 225,000 workers across all three major construction sectors — industrial, commercial and residential — the dataset is large enough to provide a meaningful national snapshot. NCCER notes that craft categories with insufficient responses were excluded from the results, a methodological choice that keeps the data clean and actionable.
While the top earners draw attention, the backbone of the construction workforce operates in the mid-range salary bands — roles that are essential to project delivery and represent the largest share of any company's labor force.
Pipefitters ($75,597), plumbers ($76,133), millwrights ($75,079) and surveyors ($75,258) all cluster just above the $75,000 threshold. These are trades that require extensive apprenticeship training and hands-on experience, and their salaries reflect years of skill development.
Industrial electricians ($77,672) and electronic systems technicians ($78,347) sit slightly higher, a nod to the increasing digitization of construction systems and the premium placed on workers who can bridge traditional trades with modern technology.
Construction site safety technicians earned an average of $74,843, a figure that underscores how seriously the industry has come to treat jobsite safety management. With OSHA enforcement, worker's compensation exposure and litigation risk all on the rise, companies are investing in safety professionals — and paying accordingly.
Not all roles in the survey command six-figure compensation, and that is by design. The lower end of the salary spectrum represents important entry and mid-level positions that serve as pipelines into the craft workforce.
Signal persons, who direct crane and equipment operators using hand signals or two-way communication, averaged $53,189 annually. Hydroblasters, who use high-pressure water systems for industrial cleaning and surface preparation, averaged $52,000 — the lowest figure in the survey.
Drywall installers ($53,387), painters ($54,637) and roofers ($59,280) round out the lower tier. These positions often require less formal credentialing than licensed trades, but they remain essential to construction project delivery and offer clear pathways to higher-paying specializations with additional training and certification.
Industrial coatings applicators ($59,093) and sheet metal workers ($63,616) occupy a middle ground — specialized enough to require training but accessible enough to serve as career entry points for workers transitioning from other industries.
For company owners, the 2026 survey offers several practical takeaways.
First, management roles have never been more valuable on paper. The gap between a craft worker's average pay and a project manager's salary — often $40,000 or more — creates a clear career ladder that owners can use as a retention tool. Communicating advancement opportunities tied to real wage growth can help reduce turnover among ambitious field workers.
Second, the premium on specialty trades is real and growing. Tower crane operators, instrumentation technicians and industrial electricians all earn wages that reflect acute supply constraints. If your company relies on these specialties, locking in long-term workforce agreements, investing in apprenticeship pipelines or partnering with trade schools now will prove more cost-effective than competing on open-market wages later.
Third, safety pays — in more ways than one. The construction site safety technician's average of $74,843 is not far below what a commercial electrician earns. Owners who have historically underpaid for safety management should recalibrate. A well-compensated safety professional is both a regulatory asset and a cost-control measure.
Finally, the survey reinforces the importance of NCCER-aligned training and credentialing. Organizations that invest in standardized training programs tend to develop the kind of versatile, certified workforce — welders, pipefitters, electricians — that commands the wages shown in this survey and reduces reliance on external hiring.
Survey data for the 2026 wage study were provided by 153 voluntary organizations representing approximately 225,000 employees from the industrial, commercial and residential construction industries across the United States. All information submitted is considered confidential and is used only in summary form. Individual respondents and participating companies are not identified. Figures represent average annual salaries and do not include overtime, per diem or other incentive compensation.
Source: National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), 2026 Construction Craft Salary Survey, Version 1. © NCCER 2026.
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