10 of the Most Popular Types of Trades Jobs in 2026

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Top Types Of Trades Jobs

• Construction

  Salary range: $71,000 - $115,500

  Construction jobs encompass a wide range of opportunities in the industry, ranging from carpenters and electricians to project managers and civil engineers. Construction professionals participate in a wide range of projects. There are residential projects, such as single family homes, small lot developments, or apartment buildings, commercial projects, such as building strip malls, industrial facilities or office buildings, and a range of infrastructure projects, such as public transit construction or building bridges. Your duties and responsibilities depend on the type of project and your role in the construction industry.

• Tradesman

  Salary range: $44,000 - $55,000

  A tradesman or tradesperson is a skilled laborer in a specialized occupation, such as an electrician, plumber, CNC machinist, HVAC technician, welder, carpenter, painter, or steelworker to name a few. As a tradesman, your job duties include performing tasks specific to your trade, troubleshooting and solving problems, working with a team as well as independently, and traveling to work sites to complete a job. You may be in a position that requires interaction with clients, so good customer service and interpersonal skills are beneficial for this job.

• Plumber

  Salary range: $49,500 - $72,500

  Plumbers install, maintain, and repair water pipes, drains, and fixtures in new and existing buildings. They identify and resolve a variety of issues, as well as have the stamina to perform often challenging physical labor. Job duties include installing or fixing garbage disposals, toilets, shower and sink drains, and sometimes sewage lines. While plumbers do perform routine maintenance as a part of their work, they are often needed in emergency situations, such as leaking or burst pipes. For this reason, good plumbers are generally in demand and enjoy some job security. The nature of their work means they are often up at odd hours or on-call during weekends and holidays.

• Electrician

  Salary range: $50,000 - $68,500

  Electricians maintain, repair, and install electrical systems. Their specific job duties vary, depending on their company, industry, and location. As an electrician, your general responsibilities may include rewiring or installing wiring and equipment, inspecting electrical service panels or fuse boxes for safety issues, and identifying the source of power outages. All construction projects need Electricians to wire power sources correctly and to check for safety boundaries with power lines. Those who work in large commercial or industrial companies may maintain and repair large motors and generators. Supervising Electricians are responsible for training and overseeing the staff of Electricians at a company.

• Nail Technician

  Salary range: $32,000 - $50,500

  A Nail Technician, or manicurist, is a cosmetology professional who provides nail styling services to clients. This includes nail shaping, painting, and decorating, but may also include hand massages, artificial nail applications, nail repairs, and pedicures, in a spa or nail salon. Nail Technicians use supplies, such as nail polish, gel, nail files, clippers, cuticle sticks, and nail polish remover to groom and decorate a client's nails.

• Entry Level Construction

  Salary range: $35,500 - $45,500

  Entry Level Construction is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Entry Level Construction jobs pay between $35,500 (25th percentile) and $45,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Entry Level Construction job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Underground Mechanic

  Salary range: $40,000 - $60,000

  Underground Mechanic is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Underground Mechanic jobs pay between $40,000 (25th percentile) and $60,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Underground Mechanic job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Zip Recruiter

  Salary range: $42,000 - $60,000

  Zip Recruiter is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Zip Recruiter jobs pay between $42,000 (25th percentile) and $60,000 (75th percentile) annually. There are lots of open positions nationwide for Zip Recruiter job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Stoneworks

  Salary range: $34,000 - $72,500

  Stoneworks is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Stoneworks jobs pay between $34,000 (25th percentile) and $72,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Stoneworks job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Industrial Maintenance

  Salary range: $70,000 - $103,500

  Industrial maintenance refers to the maintenance or service that is done by maintenance technicians or mechanics in manufacturing and production settings. Industrial machinery is used in a variety of manufacturing settings and often needs troubleshooting and adjustments to work properly. The industry calls for individuals who can install new equipment and give advice to the workers who use that equipment daily. Jobs in this sector include industrial maintenance technicians, industrial maintenance mechanics, installers, and machine salespeople. All of the jobs in this industry require general industry knowledge, and most require additional certifications beyond a high school diploma.