Trade industry statistics: jobs, pay and growth (US, 2025–35)
Most trades that run on jobs are growing faster than the US workforce as a whole: hvac mechanics and installers by 11% and electricians by 9% over 2025–35, against 3% for all occupations. Cleaning is the exception, at 2%. Every figure below is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the page it came from.
Checked against each BLS page on .
Key numbers
- HVAC mechanics and installers are projected to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, the fastest of the six trades here, against 3% for all occupations.
- Electricians are projected to have about 72,700 openings a year, while employment grows by 75,900 over the whole decade: most openings replace people who leave the trade.
- Janitors and building cleaners held about 2.4 million jobs in 2025, with about 321,800 openings a year despite 2% projected growth.
- The median electrician earned $63,190 a year in May 2025, and the median plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter $63,800.
- Together the six occupations held about 5.1 million US jobs in 2025 (our sum of the BLS figures).
Six trades side by side
| Occupation | Median pay (May 2025) | Jobs (2025) | Growth 2025–35 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $63,190 a year | 821,000 | 9% | 72,700 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $63,800 a year | 510,600 | 7% | 42,000 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $61,010 a year | 440,900 | 11% | 40,600 |
| Automotive service technicians | $50,620 a year | 825,800 | 5% | 66,200 |
| Pest control workers | $45,250 a year | 108,700 | 6% | 13,700 |
| Janitors and building cleaners | $17.71 an hour | about 2.4 million | 2% | 321,800 |
All occupations: 3% projected growth, 2025–35. Janitors’ median pay is hourly because BLS states it that way. Each occupation links to its BLS page.
What the numbers mean for a small trade business
Most openings come from people leaving the trade rather than from growth, so a business hiring is competing for experienced people. The median wage is only the start of what an employee costs: payroll taxes, insurance and the hours that cannot be billed come on top, which is why a charge-out rate is a multiple of the wage. Work yours out with the labour rate calculator, and see what each paid hour turns into with the technician utilisation calculator.
For the full pay picture of two trades, see the electrician salary guide and the plumber salary guide.
Sources and how to cite this page
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: electricians, last modified 2026-08-27.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, last modified 2026-08-27.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, last modified 2026-08-27.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: automotive service technicians and mechanics, last modified 2026-08-27.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: pest control workers, last modified 2026-09-14.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: janitors and building cleaners, last modified 2026-08-27.
Quote the figures with BLS as the source. To cite this summary, link to this page; the date it was last checked against BLS is at the top.