Qualified Craft Worker Salary in the United States
How much does a Qualified Craft Worker make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Qualified Craft Worker in the United States is $43,760 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.
However, a Qualified Craft Worker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,631
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $39,520 to $48,404
Key Factors That Influence Qualified Craft Worker Salaries
A Qualified Craft Worker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Qualified Craft Worker Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Qualified Craft Worker's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Qualified Craft Worker Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Qualified Craft Workers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $48,452.
California: $48,268.
Massachusetts: $47,624.
District of Columbia$48,452
California$48,268
Massachusetts$47,624
Washington$47,449
New Jersey$47,432
Alaska$47,371
Connecticut$46,767
New York$46,522
Hawaii$45,738
Rhode Island$45,371
Maryland$45,121
Minnesota$44,780
Colorado$44,649
Illinois$44,605
Oregon$44,439
Delaware$44,316
New Hampshire$44,239
Virginia$44,067
Pennsylvania$43,563
Nevada$43,310
North Dakota$43,227
Michigan$43,095
Wisconsin$43,047
Vermont$42,951
Texas$42,684
Maine$42,666
Arizona$42,640
Ohio$42,610
Georgia$42,207
Indiana$42,006
Wyoming$41,966
Utah$41,905
Iowa$41,879
Kansas$41,669
Louisiana$41,607
North Carolina$41,586
Missouri$41,577
Florida$41,406
Montana$41,314
Nebraska$41,227
Kentucky$41,179
South Carolina$41,003
Tennessee$40,894
Idaho$40,850
New Mexico$40,531
Oklahoma$40,461
Alabama$40,203
South Dakota$39,769
Arkansas$39,533
West Virginia$39,406
Mississippi$39,026
Top Paying Cities for Qualified Craft Workers
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $55,195
San Francisco: $54,591
Oakland: $53,440
San Jose, CA$55,195
San Francisco, CA$54,591
Oakland, CA$53,440
New York, NY$50,385
Paramus, NJ$49,773
Queens Village, NY$49,770
Passaic, NJ$49,729
Bergenfield, NJ$49,725
Stamford, CT$49,629
Huntington, NY$49,611
Newark, NJ$49,287
Bridgeport, CT$49,195
Vallejo, CA$49,108
New Brunswick, NJ$49,090
Petaluma, CA$49,064
Middlesex, NJ$48,981
Somerset, NJ$48,950
Santa Cruz, CA$48,893
Boston, MA$48,627
Monterey, CA$48,473
Seattle, WA$48,373
Santa Rosa, CA$48,364
Los Angeles, CA$48,351
Juneau, AK$48,237
Washington, DC$48,189
Orange, CA$48,033
Santa Ana, CA$47,918
Long Beach, CA$47,874
Anaheim, CA$47,865
Anchorage, AK$47,843
Santa Maria, CA$47,712
Everett, WA$47,703
Danbury, CT$47,549
Bremerton, WA$47,489
Tacoma, WA$47,331
New Suffolk, NY$47,330
Sacramento, CA$47,318
Santa Barbara, CA$47,270
Trenton, NJ$47,222
San Diego, CA$47,222
Brockton, MA$47,174
Fairbanks, AK$47,066
Lompoc, CA$46,955
Lowell, MA$46,919
Ventura, CA$46,911
Nashua, NH$46,902
Stockton, CA$46,898
Modesto, CA$46,579
Poughkeepsie, NY$46,482
Olympia, WA$46,399
Kennewick, WA$46,399
New Haven, CT$46,382
Lawrence, MA$46,224
Hartford, CT$46,180
Riverside, CA$46,172
New Bedford, MA$46,128
Richland, WA$46,128
Bakersfield, CA$46,067
San Bernardino, CA$46,049
New Britain, CT$46,045
Atlantic City, NJ$46,045
New London, CT$46,027
Norwich, CT$46,014
Portsmouth, NH$46,005
Boulder, CO$45,913
Portland, OR$45,852
Worcester, MA$45,848
Minneapolis, MN$45,712
Philadelphia, PA$45,651
Honolulu, HI$45,506
Saint Paul, MN$45,485
Vineland, NJ$45,476
Providence, RI$45,349
Chicago, IL$45,222
Bellingham, WA$45,169
Springfield, MA$45,134
Baltimore, MD$45,121
Chico, CA$45,012
Pittsfield, MA$44,894
Manchester, NH$44,811
Spokane, WA$44,618
Denver, CO$44,614
Albany, NY$44,408
Troy, NY$44,391
Nassau, NY$44,344
Schenectady, NY$44,299
Wilmington, DE$44,264
Burlington, VT$44,202
Salem, OR$44,185
Portland, ME$44,049
Yakima, WA$44,005
Rochester, MN$43,870
Reno, NV$43,848
Fresno, CA$43,848
Milwaukee, WI$43,809
Detroit, MI$43,765
Ann Arbor, MI$43,757
Allentown, PA$43,752
Colorado Springs, CO$43,677
Syracuse, NY$43,655
Carson City, NV$43,655
Houston, TX$43,594
Eugene, OR$43,572
Gary, IN$43,520
Springfield, OR$43,485
Bismarck, ND$43,476
Galveston, TX$43,445
Medford, OR$43,380
Fort Collins, CO$43,362
Concord, NH$43,340
Austin, TX$43,327
Mesa, AZ$43,235
Reading, PA$43,231
Phoenix, AZ$43,227
Dallas, TX$43,213
Saint Cloud, MN$43,171
Madison, WI$43,113
Utica, NY$42,995
Rochester, NY$42,925
Des Moines, IA$42,920
Raleigh, NC$42,916
Atlanta, GA$42,850
Battle Creek, MI$42,837
Salt Lake City, UT$42,824
Lancaster, PA$42,758
Harrisburg, PA$42,697
Kansas City, MO$42,653
Champaign, IL$42,645
Kansas City, KS$42,645
Fort Worth, TX$42,640
Columbus, OH$42,633
Boca Raton, FL$42,623
Pittsburgh, PA$42,605
Richmond, VA$42,588
Indianapolis, IN$42,579
Cleveland, OH$42,574
Las Vegas, NV$42,522
Cincinnati, OH$42,522
Petersburg, VA$42,456
Huntsville, AL$42,391
Lansing, MI$42,361
Lebanon, PA$42,356
Pueblo, CO$42,351
Appleton, WI$42,338
Buffalo, NY$42,321
Dayton, OH$42,308
Racine, WI$42,299
Charlotte, NC$42,294
Saint Louis, MO$42,281
York, PA$42,255
Elkhart, IN$42,255
Gastonia, NC$42,247
Billings, MT$42,236
Beaumont, TX$42,224
Lorain, OH$42,216
Benton Harbor, MI$42,207
Toledo, OH$42,198
Binghamton, NY$42,176
Rock Hill, SC$42,172
Rockford, IL$42,150
Springfield, IL$42,133
Elyria, OH$42,128
Fargo, ND$42,128
Flagstaff, AZ$42,098
Fort Lauderdale, FL$42,071
Duluth, MN$42,045
Miami, FL$42,045
Cheyenne, WY$42,014
Grand Forks, ND$42,014
Bangor, ME$41,918
Cedar Rapids, IA$41,870
Durham, NC$41,852
Louisville, KY$41,848
Grand Rapids, MI$41,839
Hialeah, FL$41,835
Casper, WY$41,774
Scranton, PA$41,721
New Orleans, LA$41,708
Virginia Beach, VA$41,704
Akron, OH$41,682
Peoria, IL$41,625
Sarasota, FL$41,616
Nashville, TN$41,586
Omaha, NE$41,586
Green Bay, WI$41,586
Baton Rouge, LA$41,564
Charleston, SC$41,555
Jamestown, NY$41,533
Davenport, IA$41,533
Tucson, AZ$41,511
Saint Petersburg, FL$41,485
Tampa, FL$41,476
Evansville, IN$41,450
Port Arthur, TX$41,450
Bradenton, FL$41,432
Santa Fe, NM$41,354
Orlando, FL$41,275
Clearwater, FL$41,262
Canton, OH$41,170
La Crosse, WI$41,170
Albuquerque, NM$41,144
Newport News, VA$41,139
High Point, NC$41,126
Ogden, UT$41,109
Corpus Christi, TX$41,074
Norfolk, VA$41,047
Laramie, WY$41,047
Rock Island, IL$41,021
Saginaw, MI$41,012
Jacksonville, FL$41,008
Salisbury, NC$40,999
Boise, ID$40,990
Moline, IL$40,968
Fort Myers, FL$40,955
Memphis, TN$40,947
Tulsa, OK$40,925
Waterloo, IA$40,898
Spartanburg, SC$40,855
Lincoln, NE$40,833
Fort Wayne, IN$40,824
Provo, UT$40,820
Cedar Falls, IA$40,767
San Antonio, TX$40,750
Greensboro, NC$40,732
South Bend, IN$40,728
Savannah, GA$40,680
Muskegon, MI$40,662
Birmingham, AL$40,658
Winston Salem, NC$40,636
Lake Charles, LA$40,531
Anderson, IN$40,522
Lexington, KY$40,509
Augusta, GA$40,496
Greenville, SC$40,496
Lima, OH$40,461
Wichita, KS$40,456
Tuscaloosa, AL$40,456
Columbia, SC$40,417
Springfield, OH$40,408
Asheville, NC$40,338
Bloomington, IN$40,308
Knoxville, TN$40,150
Shreveport, LA$40,146
Wilmington, NC$40,089
Roanoke, VA$40,089
Topeka, KS$40,010
Frankfort, KY$40,005
Oklahoma City, OK$39,975
Chillicothe, OH$39,958
Longview, TX$39,953
Melbourne, FL$39,949
Sioux Falls, SD$39,879
Mobile, AL$39,874
Terre Haute, IN$39,857
Altoona, PA$39,831
Amarillo, TX$39,800
Killeen, TX$39,787
Fayetteville, AR$39,752
Chattanooga, TN$39,739
Sioux City, IA$39,699
Idaho Falls, ID$39,691
Lynchburg, VA$39,656
Gainesville, FL$39,599
Portsmouth, OH$39,577
Little Rock, AR$39,568
Lafayette, LA$39,551
Youngstown, OH$39,551
Daytona Beach, FL$39,524
Clarksville, TN$39,520
Pensacola, FL$39,516
Temple, TX$39,513
Hopkinsville, KY$39,384
Erie, PA$39,376
Florence, SC$39,358
Charleston, WV$39,288
Great Falls, MT$39,266
Macon, GA$39,205
Tallahassee, FL$39,201
Fayetteville, NC$39,192
Waco, TX$39,183
Helena, MT$39,152
Pine Bluff, AR$39,136
Vincennes, IN$39,082
Lubbock, TX$39,065
Alamogordo, NM$39,039
Twin Falls, ID$38,999
Rapid City, SD$38,986
Jackson, MS$38,907
Huntington, WV$38,904
Greenville, MS$38,903
Parkersburg, WV$38,858
Montgomery, AL$38,850
Wichita Falls, TX$38,807
Springfield, MO$38,807
Biloxi, MS$38,785
Monroe, LA$38,741
Johnstown, PA$38,710
Sumter, SC$38,693
Columbus, GA$38,689
Pascagoula, MS$38,605
Abilene, TX$38,605
Kingsport, TN$38,492
Albany, GA$38,492
Gulfport, MS$38,479
Alexandria, LA$38,334
Fort Smith, AR$38,225
El Paso, TX$38,107
Las Cruces, NM$37,910
Harlingen, TX$37,798
Pocatello, ID$37,791
Florence, AL$37,735
Brownsville, TX$37,726
Mcallen, TX$37,634
Dothan, AL$37,573
Columbus, MS$37,313
Altus, OK$37,109
Lawton, OK$37,026
Pierre, SD$36,868
What Skills Can Increase a Qualified Craft Worker's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Problem Solving (Mentioned in 5.01% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Welding (Mentioned in 3.31% Job Postings): Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool causing fusion. Welding is distinct from lower temperature metal-joining techniques such as brazing and soldering, which do not melt the base metal. In addition to melting the base metal, a filler material is typically added to the joint to form a pool of molten material (the weld pool) that cools to form a joint that, based on weld configuration (butt, full penetration, fillet, etc.), can be stronger than the base material (parent metal). Pressure may also be used in conjunction with heat, or by itself, to produce a weld. Welding also requires a form of shield to protect the filler metals or melted metals from being contaminated or oxidized. Many different energy sources can be used for welding, including a gas flame (chemical), an electric arc (electrical), a laser, an electron beam, friction, and ultrasound. While often an industrial process, welding may be performed in many different environments, including in open air, under water, and in outer space. Welding is a hazardous undertaking and precautions are required to avoid burns, electric shock, vision damage, inhalation of poisonous gases and fumes, and exposure to intense ultraviolet radiation.
Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Qualified Craft Worker's salary.
Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Customer Service: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Qualified Craft Worker Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Qualified Craft Worker roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the MFG Nondurable and Aerospace & Defense
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Qualified Craft Worker positions in Software & Networking or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Qualified Craft Worker as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Qualified Craft Worker
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
MFG Nondurable
$56,889
$27.0
30%
Aerospace & Defense
$52,512
$25.0
20%
Energy & Utilities
$48,136
$23.0
10%
How Education impacts a Qualified Craft Worker's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Qualified Craft Workers enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Qualified Craft Worker with a No Diploma is between
$41,277
and $44,367).
Understanding how a Qualified Craft Worker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$39,520
Average$43,760/year
$48,404
$3,293
Average$3,647/month
$4,034
$760
Average$842/week
$931
$19
Average$21/hour
$23
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$48,404
$4,034
$931
$23
Average
$43,760
$3,647
$842
$21
25th Percentile
$39,520
$3,293
$760
$19
Salaries of Jobs related to Qualified Craft Worker
Electrical Craft Helper$83,161
Craft Recruiter$71,240
Qualified Social Worker$63,057
Newly Qualified Social Worker$62,185
Craft Instructor$62,174
Multi Craft Technician$57,971
Craft Service$52,737
Art and Craft Teacher$52,028
Construction Craft Laborer$44,962
Craft Bartender$27,859
Craft Cocktail Bartender$23,154
Salary Trends for Qualified Craft Worker
Salaries for a Qualified Craft Worker can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $41,070 in 2023
to around $41,106 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Qualified Craft Worker salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Qualified Craft Worker Over Time
$???
$41,070
$41,218
$41,106
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$41,070
2024
$41,218
2025
$41,106
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Qualified Craft Worker
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Qualified Craft Worker
Here are companies hiring for Qualified Craft Worker and their salaries, click below for more details.
M$78,348/per year
McDermottConstructionthe United States
D$77,426/per year
DR HortonConstructionthe United States
P$75,049/per year
Puerto Rico Council on EducationConstructionthe United States
H$71,917/per year
HW Power IncConstructionthe United States
H$70,761/per year
Heritage MechanicalConstructionthe United States
C$70,334/per year
CapStone Solar IncConstructionthe United States
A$70,304/per year
Ars Aleut Construction LLCConstructionthe United States
L$70,208/per year
LG Development GroupConstructionthe United States
O$69,653/per year
Omega Electrical IncConstructionthe United States
G$64,330/per year
GreenHalo Builds LLCConstructionthe United States
P$64,263/per year
Pars Garma CoConstructionthe United States
C$63,929/per year
CED Miller Electric CoConstructionthe United States
C$63,801/per year
Cheney Custom Homes LLCConstructionthe United States
A$63,530/per year
Arizona 811Constructionthe United States
B$63,120/per year
Bilrey ConstructionConstructionthe United States
K$62,804/per year
KA Wolfe LLCConstructionthe United States
M$61,565/per year
Motivado GroupConstructionthe United States
D$60,095/per year
DW Tile & StoneConstructionthe United States
M$59,885/per year
Mario's PaintingConstructionthe United States
K$59,870/per year
Kings ConstructionConstructionthe United States
P$59,556/per year
Payne & Payne RenovationsConstructionthe United States
W$58,117/per year
Werthan LLCConstructionthe United States
F$57,992/per year
Foundation Mechanical LLCConstructionthe United States
H$57,612/per year
Home Builders Financial Partners LLCConstructionthe United States
Z$54,905/per year
Zone Heating and CoolingConstructionthe United States
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FAQ about Qualified Craft Worker
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Qualified Craft Worker?
The MFG Nondurable industry offers the highest average compensation for Qualified Craft Worker roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
