Highest-paying trade, production, and transport jobs
Compare construction, maintenance, production, and transportation occupations.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment ProjectionsPeriod: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wagesRetrieved 2026-10-05T08:25:31+00:00
SOC major groups 47, 49, 51, and 53. This is an explicit occupational grouping, not an official BLS definition of “blue collar.” National BLS detailed occupations only. Wages are median annual employee wages, not starting salaries or self-employed earnings. Missing wages are excluded from pay rankings. A “+” means a lower bound, not an exact wage; equal reported bounds share a rank. Education describes the typical entry requirement, not a guarantee of eligibility. Training, licensing, and experience may still be needed.
| Rank | Name | Typical education | Median annual wage | Projected growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 | Transportation workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,650 | 4.0% |
| 202 | Light truck drivers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,860 | 6.3% |
| 203 | Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,810 | 0.4% |
| 204 | Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,650 | 1.1% |
| 205 | Furniture finishers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,540 | -3.5% |
| 206 | Woodworkers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,530 | -2.3% |
| 207 | Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,350 | -3.4% |
| 208 | Helpers--roofers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,160 | -0.1% |
| 209 | Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,960 | -9.7% |
| 210 | Helpers--carpenters DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $43,780 | -1.7% |
| 211 | Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,530 | 3.4% |
| 212 | Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,380 | -2.5% |
| 213 | Etchers and engravers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,310 | -0.7% |
| 214 | Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,220 | 4.1% |
| 215 | Bicycle repairers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,780 | -5.7% |
| 216 | Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,770 | -1.0% |
| 217 | Helpers--electricians DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,670 | 0.6% |
| 217 | Helpers, construction trades, all other DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,670 | -1.0% |
| 219 | Grinding and polishing workers, hand DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,660 | -19.2% |
| 220 | Conveyor operators and tenders DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,420 | -2.6% |
| 221 | Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,360 | 2.4% |
| 222 | Food batchmakers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,290 | 6.5% |
| 222 | Print binding and finishing workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $42,290 | -17.5% |
| 224 | Taxi drivers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $42,100 | 11.5% |
| 225 | Material moving workers, all other DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $41,800 | 2.7% |
| 226 | Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $41,640 | -8.8% |
| 227 | Painting, coating, and decorating workers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $41,600 | 1.3% |
| 228 | Food cooking machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $41,590 | -0.3% |
| 229 | Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $41,330 | 5.9% |
| 230 | Machine feeders and offbearers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $41,220 | -13.1% |
| 231 | Photographic process workers and processing machine operators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $40,610 | -5.6% |
| 232 | Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $40,470 | 1.5% |
| 233 | Aircraft service attendants DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $40,450 | 5.6% |
| 234 | Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $40,240 | 1.8% |
| 235 | Butchers and meat cutters DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $40,140 | 2.4% |
| 236 | Slaughterers and meat packers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $40,130 | 2.0% |
| 237 | Production workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $40,110 | 0.8% |
| 238 | Food processing workers, all other DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $39,680 | 5.5% |
| 239 | Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $39,630 | 5.3% |
| 240 | Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $39,530 | -13.7% |
| 241 | Ophthalmic laboratory technicians DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $39,460 | 2.2% |
| 242 | Helpers--production workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $39,070 | -8.2% |
| 243 | Driver/sales workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $38,770 | 7.9% |
| 244 | Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $38,760 | -13.6% |
| 245 | Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $38,670 | -10.3% |
| 246 | Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $38,300 | 5.7% |
| 247 | Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $38,180 | -12.5% |
| 248 | Cutters and trimmers, hand DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $38,020 | -18.9% |
| 249 | Shoe and leather workers and repairers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $37,800 | -6.5% |
| 250 | Passenger attendants DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $37,720 | 6.0% |
Wages marked + are top-coded: the published figure is the lower bound of the capped wage.
266 ranked entries.