Highest-paying trades in Maine
Updated September 27, 2026
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers are the highest-paying skilled trade in Maine, with a median of $143,690 a year, according to May 2025 BLS data. 48 of the 70 trades ranked here pay more than the $51,430 median for all jobs in Maine.
All 70 trades by median pay in Maine
| # | Trade | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator and escalator installers and repairers110 jobs · +31% vs U.S. | $143,690$69.08/hr |
| 2 | Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay160 jobs · −10% vs U.S. | $92,570$44.51/hr |
| 3 | Telecommunications line installers and repairers680 jobs · +24% vs U.S. | $92,120$44.29/hr |
| 4 | Electrical power-line installers and repairers1,160 jobs · −13% vs U.S. | $83,090$39.95/hr |
| 5 | Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment410 jobs · +10% vs U.S. | $81,180$39.03/hr |
| 6 | Electricians3,780 jobs · +19% vs U.S. | $75,380$36.24/hr |
| 7 | Miscellaneous construction and related workers90 jobs · +51% vs U.S. | $75,340$36.22/hr |
| 8 | Construction and building inspectors710 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $74,670$35.90/hr |
| 9 | Commercial divers+2% vs U.S. | $74,610$35.87/hr |
| 10 | Industrial machinery mechanics1,190 jobs · +12% vs U.S. | $72,310$34.77/hr |
| 11 | Tile and stone setters60 jobs · +27% vs U.S. | $70,720$34.00/hr |
| 12 | Millwrights350 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $68,220$32.80/hr |
| 13 | Aircraft mechanics and service technicians190 jobs · −15% vs U.S. | $67,890$32.64/hr |
| 14 | Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door190 jobs · −11% vs U.S. | $66,240$31.85/hr |
| 15 | Riggers330 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $64,910$31.21/hr |
| 16 | Security and fire alarm systems installers240 jobs · +7% vs U.S. | $64,080$30.81/hr |
| 17 | Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters2,710 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $64,000$30.77/hr |
| 18 | Insulation workers, mechanical400 jobs · +9% vs U.S. | $63,580$30.57/hr |
| 19 | Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers2,250 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $63,170$30.37/hr |
| 20 | Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers1,690 jobs · +16% vs U.S. | $62,220$29.92/hr |
| 21 | Carpenters5,170 jobs · +3% vs U.S. | $62,160$29.88/hr |
| 22 | Sheet metal workers830 jobs · +1% vs U.S. | $62,120$29.87/hr |
| 23 | Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment90 jobs · −27% vs U.S. | $61,820$29.72/hr |
| 24 | Medical equipment repairers390 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $61,810$29.72/hr |
| 25 | Structural iron and steel workers200 jobs · −2% vs U.S. | $61,750$29.69/hr |
| 26 | Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers400 jobs · −3% vs U.S. | $61,720$29.67/hr |
| 27 | Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other1,230 jobs · +25% vs U.S. | $61,380$29.51/hr |
| 28 | Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines1,490 jobs · −6% vs U.S. | $61,280$29.46/hr |
| 29 | Solar photovoltaic installers60 jobs · +15% vs U.S. | $61,210$29.43/hr |
| 30 | Mechanical door repairers+10% vs U.S. | $61,140$29.40/hr |
| 31 | Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers+9% vs U.S. | $61,090$29.37/hr |
| 32 | Stonemasons230 jobs · +6% vs U.S. | $60,980$29.32/hr |
| 33 | Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists1,380 jobs · −1% vs U.S. | $60,850$29.26/hr |
| 34 | Motorboat mechanics and service technicians340 jobs · +5% vs U.S. | $60,510$29.09/hr |
| 35 | Rail car repairers70 jobs · −11% vs U.S. | $60,090$28.89/hr |
| 36 | Drywall and ceiling tile installers150 jobs · +2% vs U.S. | $60,080$28.89/hr |
| 37 | Painters, construction and maintenance2,120 jobs · +20% vs U.S. | $59,270$28.50/hr |
| 38 | Wind turbine service technicians50 jobs · −8% vs U.S. | $59,220$28.47/hr |
| 39 | Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians130 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $58,880$28.31/hr |
| 40 | Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators250 jobs · +7% vs U.S. | $57,020$27.42/hr |
| 41 | Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators2,210 jobs · −6% vs U.S. | $56,140$26.99/hr |
| 42 | Cement masons and concrete finishers730 jobs · −2% vs U.S. | $55,680$26.77/hr |
| 43 | Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles120 jobs · −5% vs U.S. | $53,390$25.67/hr |
| 44 | Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other120 jobs · −23% vs U.S. | $53,280$25.62/hr |
| 45 | Locksmiths and safe repairers140 jobs · +3% vs U.S. | $52,670$25.32/hr |
| 46 | Maintenance workers, machinery490 jobs · −14% vs U.S. | $52,300$25.15/hr |
| 47 | Automotive service technicians and mechanics3,390 jobs · +3% vs U.S. | $52,040$25.02/hr |
| 48 | Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers130 jobs · −18% vs U.S. | $51,970$24.99/hr |
| 49 | Pipelayers110 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $50,980$24.51/hr |
| 50 | Automotive body and related repairers680 jobs · −8% vs U.S. | $50,350$24.21/hr |
| 51 | Roofers610 jobs · −10% vs U.S. | $50,120$24.10/hr |
| 52 | Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers290 jobs · +4% vs U.S. | $49,610$23.85/hr |
| 53 | Maintenance and repair workers, general5,820 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $49,430$23.76/hr |
| 54 | Highway maintenance workers1,620 jobs · −2% vs U.S. | $49,030$23.57/hr |
| 55 | Recreational vehicle service technicians120 jobs · −6% vs U.S. | $48,990$23.55/hr |
| 56 | Musical instrument repairers and tuners90 jobs · +5% vs U.S. | $48,530$23.33/hr |
| 57 | Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners160 jobs · −3% vs U.S. | $48,530$23.33/hr |
| 58 | Motorcycle mechanics100 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $48,380$23.26/hr |
| 59 | Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics300 jobs · 0% vs U.S. | $47,960$23.06/hr |
| 60 | Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall440 jobs · −3% vs U.S. | $47,790$22.97/hr |
| 61 | Glaziers150 jobs · −16% vs U.S. | $47,770$22.97/hr |
| 62 | Hazardous materials removal workers190 jobs · −4% vs U.S. | $47,280$22.73/hr |
| 63 | Automotive glass installers and repairers60 jobs · −1% vs U.S. | $47,270$22.73/hr |
| 64 | Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers50 jobs · −1% vs U.S. | $47,160$22.68/hr |
| 65 | Home appliance repairers160 jobs · −9% vs U.S. | $46,500$22.36/hr |
| 66 | Construction laborers3,960 jobs · −1% vs U.S. | $46,430$22.32/hr |
| 67 | Bicycle repairers70 jobs · +8% vs U.S. | $46,200$22.21/hr |
| 68 | Fence erectors160 jobs · −6% vs U.S. | $45,310$21.78/hr |
| 69 | Brickmasons and blockmasons90 jobs · −31% vs U.S. | $42,710$20.54/hr |
| 70 | Tire repairers and changers490 jobs · +3% vs U.S. | $38,910$18.71/hr |
Linked trades have full Maine pay pages, with pay in each metro area. See also: highest-paying trades in the U.S.
How we ranked them
Ranked by median annual wage in Maine, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates, May 2025. “vs U.S.” compares each trade with its own national median. Which occupations count as trades: Construction occupations and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (BLS major groups 47 and 49), plus welders, excluding first-line supervisors, helpers, and mining and oil-and-gas extraction occupations. BLS doesn't publish a Maine median for 18 of the 88 trades in the national ranking, usually because too few people do that work there to estimate; they're left out. Wages exclude self-employed workers. Methodology
Questions
- What is the highest-paying trade in Maine?
- Elevator and escalator installers and repairers, with a median of $143,690 a year ($69.08 an hour) in Maine, per May 2025 BLS data.
- Which trades pay over $100,000 in Maine?
- One trade has a median of $100,000 or more in Maine: elevator and escalator installers and repairers ($143,690).
- How many trades pay more than the typical job in Maine?
- 48 of the 70 trades ranked here have a median above $51,430, the median for all occupations in Maine.
- Do trades pay more in Maine than in the rest of the U.S.?
- 33 of the 70 trades have a higher median in Maine than nationally. The biggest gap is miscellaneous construction and related workers: $75,340, 51% above the U.S. median of $49,910.
- Which trade employs the most people in Maine?
- Maintenance and repair workers, general, with about 5,820 jobs and a median of $49,430 a year.