Our own hiring data
The Tradesppl Hiring Index
Who is hiring in the trades, what the work pays, and where the jobs are. We count it up from the jobs posted on our own board, fresh every month.
September 2026 edition
Permanent link to this editionNew jobs posted
5,167
Jobs that showed pay
23.5%
1,215 of 5,167 ads named a wage
Most hiring
Texas
1,060 jobs
The numbers that matter — September 2026
- In the September 2026 edition, the Tradesppl Hiring Index counted 5,167 new skilled-trades jobs posted in the United States.
- 23.5% of the skilled-trades jobs tracked in September 2026 said what they pay (1,215 of 5,167).
- Best-paying trade tracked in September 2026, by typical advertised pay: HVAC technicians at $80,100 USD a year (from 179 ads).
What the jobs pay
What the job ads actually offered, for the 23.5% that named a wage. Hourly rates are shown as a year's pay at full-time hours. All figures are in USD. A blank means fewer than 8 ads named a wage, which is too few to trust.
| Trade | Typical pay (USD/yr) |
|---|---|
| Electricians | $72,800$60,300–$85,500 · from 388 ads |
| HVAC technicians | $80,100$67,600–$93,600 · from 179 ads |
| Plumbers | $78,000$62,900–$96,000 · from 163 ads |
| Heavy equipment operators | $69,700$63,400–$74,900 · from 97 ads |
| Welders | $70,700$53,000–$83,200 · from 74 ads |
| Carpenters | $61,700$56,200–$67,600 · from 29 ads |
| Pipefitters | $70,700$67,600–$92,600 · from 21 ads |
| Mechanics | $65,500$61,400–$70,500 · from 54 ads |
| Sheet metal workers | $71,800$68,600–$76,600 · from 29 ads |
The big number is typical pay — half the jobs pay more, half pay less. Below it is the range the middle half of jobs fall in, and how many ads that figure is based on.
Where the jobs are
States, by how many trades jobs were posted in September 2026.
Based on 5,167 jobs posted on Tradesppl in September 2026. See how we work these numbers out before you quote them. Free to use anywhere, as long as you credit Tradesppl and link back to this page.
More reports
Updated every month along with the main report.
Pay guides built on this data
What each trade pays, trade by trade and place by place, using the same job ads counted in this report.
- Pipefitter Salary in 2026: What Pipefitters Actually Earn
- HVAC Technician Salary: 2026 Pay by Region and Level
- Plumber Salary in Alberta (2026): Rates for Journeymen, Masters and Apprentices
- Plumber Salary in Texas (2026): Pay Data for Every Experience Level
- Electrician Salary in Arizona (2026): What You Can Earn in the Sun Belt's Fastest-Growing Market
- Welder Salary in Texas (2026): What Welders Earn in the Lone Star State
- Welder Salary in Alberta (2026): Pay Rates for Every Level
- Plumber Salary in Ontario (2026): What Licensed Plumbers Actually Earn
- Electrician Salary in Ontario (2026): Rates for Apprentices, Journeymen and Masters
- Electrician Salary in Alberta (2026): What You Can Expect to Earn
Use this data
Take the raw numbers and do what you like with them, under CC BY 4.0 — just credit “Tradesppl Hiring Index” and link to how we work them out.
- JSON — September 2026 edition
- CSV — Jobs and pay by trade
- CSV — Jobs by state and province
- CSV — Who names a wage, by region
- CSV — Tickets asked for, by trade
- All editions (index)
How to credit us
Tradesppl Hiring Index, September 2026 edition. Tradesppl. https://tradesppl.com/hiring-index/september-2026. Retrieved 2026-10-19.