Salary guide › Methodology
Salary guide methodology and sources
How we build every number in the Contractor Pathway salary guide, and what we refuse to estimate.
Where the numbers come from
Market pay comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (OEWS), May 2025 release, state, metro and national tables. We take the figures exactly as BLS publishes them. We never average across sources or across occupations, and we never use crowdsourced salary sites for a figure.
Union pay is shown only from a union local’s own published wage sheet or agreement. Prevailing wage is shown only from a state labor agency determination or a federal Davis-Bacon determination on SAM.gov. Until we have verified one of those for a state and trade, the page says so.
What the BLS figures cover
- All employers. BLS does not split union from non union workers, so the market figure includes both.
- Straight time pay. Overtime, shift premiums, bonuses and benefits are not included.
- Hourly and annual. BLS publishes both. The annual figure assumes 2,080 paid hours a year.
- Top coding. When BLS reports a wage only as at least $115.00 an hour or $239,200 a year, we show it that way.
- Suppressed figures. When BLS does not publish a figure, we say it is not published. We do not estimate it.
How trades map to BLS occupations
| Trade | BLS occupation (SOC code) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | BLS counts plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters as one occupation, so this figure covers all three. |
| Electrician | Electricians (47-2111) | |
| HVAC Technician | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (49-9021) | |
| General Building Contractor | Construction Managers (11-9021) | BLS has no general contractor occupation. Construction Managers is the closest official category, so treat it as a related figure. |
| Roofer | Roofers (47-2181) | |
| Painter and Drywall | Painters, Construction and Maintenance (47-2141) Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (47-2081) | BLS reports painters and drywall installers as two occupations. Both are shown. They are never averaged together. |
| Concrete and Masonry | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) Brickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | BLS reports concrete finishers and masons as two occupations. Both are shown. They are never averaged together. |
| Carpenter and Framer | Carpenters (47-2031) | BLS counts framers inside Carpenters. |
| Landscape and Irrigation | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | BLS counts irrigation work inside Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. |
| Sheet Metal | Sheet Metal Workers (47-2211) | |
| Pipefitter and Steamfitter | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | BLS counts plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters as one occupation, so this figure covers all three. |
| Elevator | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (47-4021) | |
| Fire Sprinkler | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | BLS has no separate sprinkler fitter occupation. Sprinkler fitters are counted inside Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, so treat it as a related figure. |
| Solar Installer | Solar Photovoltaic Installers (47-2231) | |
| Insulation | Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (47-2131) Insulation Workers, Mechanical (47-2132) | BLS reports building insulation and mechanical insulation as two occupations. Both are shown. They are never averaged together. |
| Flooring and Tile | Tile and Stone Setters (47-2044) Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (47-2042) | BLS reports tile setters and floor layers as two occupations. Both are shown. They are never averaged together. |
| Excavation and Paving | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (47-2071) | BLS reports equipment operators and paving operators as two occupations. Both are shown. They are never averaged together. |
| Glazier | Glaziers (47-2121) |
Positions
- Apprentice. BLS has no apprentice category. Apprentices often start near helper pay, then step up each year toward journeyman pay.
- Journeyman. Typical pay in the trade. BLS does not split pay by license level.
- Foreman. BLS pay for construction supervisors across all trades.
- Superintendent. BLS pay for construction managers, the closest official category.
- Project Manager. BLS pay for construction managers, the closest official category.
- Estimator. BLS pay for cost estimators in all industries.
- Owner Operator. There is no wage data for owners. They earn from business profit, not a wage.
Confidence labels
- High: official data that directly matches the trade, the state and the latest year.
- Medium: official data for a closely related category, a nearby metro, or a prior year.
- Low: derived or estimated from official data, with the method shown.
- None: no data. We say so.
Updates
BLS releases OEWS once a year. When a new release comes out, every page is refreshed and its source year changes. Union and prevailing wage figures are re-checked every 90 days. Changes over 10% are reviewed by a person before they go live. Data last verified: October 22, 2026.
Disclaimer
Salary information on Contractor Pathway is an estimate for educational purposes only. Figures come from public sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, state prevailing wage determinations, federal wage determinations, and published union wage sheets. Actual pay depends on your employer, experience, local market, license classification, overtime, benefits, and the date of the data. Market wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics includes both union and non union workers. Union, prevailing wage, and market figures come from different sources and are not directly comparable. Some positions do not have official wage data, and those figures are marked as estimates with the method shown. This tool does not guarantee any wage, job offer, or income. Always confirm current rates with your local union, your state labor agency, or a prospective employer before making career or business decisions. Contractor Pathway is not responsible for decisions made based on these estimates.