|||SkilledWage

Licensing · Pay · Training, from official sources

The trades, in real numbers

What a license actually takes in your state, what the work actually pays, and what training actually costs — compiled from BLS wage data, state licensing boards, and the College Scorecard. No hype, sources on every figure.

350state licensing records
350KBLS wage data points
6,243schools tracked
50states covered

Pick your trade

National median pay, 10-year outlook, and where a state license is required.

Elevator Technician$109,910 /yr median+5% by 2034Home Inspector$74,690 /yr median-0.8% by 2034Plumber$63,800 /yr median+4.5% by 2034 · statewide license in 36 statesElectrician$63,190 /yr median+9.5% by 2034 · statewide license in 38 statesDiesel Mechanic$61,770 /yr median+2.4% by 2034 · statewide license in 2 statesHVAC Technician$61,010 /yr median+8.1% by 2034 · statewide license in 27 statesCarpenter$60,580 /yr median+4.5% by 2034CDL Truck Driver$58,640 /yr median+4% by 2034 · statewide license in 50 statesWelder$53,750 /yr median+2.2% by 2034 · statewide license in 1 stateSolar PV Installer$53,140 /yr median+42.1% by 2034CNC Machinist$50,690 /yr median-10.7% by 2034Auto Mechanic$50,620 /yr median+4.2% by 2034 · statewide license in 2 states

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 · state licensing boards, verified July 2026

Which trades even need a license?

Less often than people assume, and the answer is rarely the same twice. One state licenses welders and two license auto mechanics, while electricians hold a statewide license in 38 states and plumbers in 36. Each of these was checked against the state's own list:

How this site works

Every number traces to a government dataset or a state board document. Each page shows its sources and the date we last verified them. The methodology page explains how, and when data is missing or suppressed, we say so instead of guessing.