What do the trades pay in Delaware?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$30.63/hrDelaware median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$31.11/hrDelaware median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$29.96/hrDelaware median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$28.58/hrDelaware median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$38.99/hrDelaware median, construction supervisors
Is there work in Delaware?
Construction, mining and logging jobs in Delaware, September 2026: 25,100, up 1.6% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in Delaware, September 2026: 521, up 8.8% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in Delaware: 8,400.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in Delaware?
Delaware licenses electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors at the state level. General contractors and roofers register with the state.2
- ElectricalState licenseBoard of Electrical Examiners (DPR)
- PlumbingState licenseBoard of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Examiners (DPR)
- HVACState licenseBoard of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Examiners (DPR)
- RoofingState registrationDivision of Revenue
- General contractorState registrationDivision of Revenue
Check a Delaware contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
Miss a date, lose the lien
File a statement of claim with the Prothonotary of the Superior Court in the county where the property is. A contractor who contracted directly with the owner has 180 days after completion of the structure; everyone else has 120 days after finishing their labor or last delivering materials. The claim must be more than $25 and supported by the claimant's affidavit.3
Training near you
Apprentices are hired first and paid while they learn on the job and in class. Trade school comes first and charges tuition.
Where to train and find work near you
Union locals take apprenticeship applications and send members out to union contractors. Open-shop chapters run apprenticeship classes for the people their member contractors hire.
IBEW union locals
- IBEW Local 313Wilmington(302) 328-0773
- IBEW Local 126Office in Philadelphia, PA(610) 489-1185
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- Delaware Electrical Apprenticeship814 W. Basin Road, New Castle(302) 322-5089
IEC chapters (open shop)
No IEC chapter lists an office in Delaware. Chapters cover several states; the finder shows each one's area. IEC chapter finder
UA union locals
- UA Local 74Newark(302) 636-7400
Training
UA apprenticeships run through a joint committee of the local and union contractors. Call the local for the next application date.
PHCC chapters
No PHCC chapter lists an office in Delaware. PHCC chapter finder
SMART union locals
- SMART Local 526Office in Newark, PA(609) 202-3136
Sheet metal training centers
No center in the national list has an address in Delaware. ITI training center finder
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
No PHCC chapter lists an office in Delaware. ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in Delaware.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 219Wilmington
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- Home Builders Association of Delaware13 Nobles Pond Xing, Dover
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in Delaware. Search the Roofers union website.
Training
Roofers locals run their apprenticeship through a joint committee with union contractors.
Contractor associations
The national trade group for roofing contractors is the National Roofing Contractors Association.
Trade schools: where to apply
- Polytech Adult Education823 Walnut Shade Road, WoodsideElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Dawn Career Institute LLC252 Chapman Road, Suite 100, NewarkHVAC program
- Delaware Technical Community College-Terry100 Campus Drive, Dover
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Delaware, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Board of Electrical Examiners (DPR) (dpr.delaware.gov)
- Delaware lien law: 25 Del. C. 2711, 2712 (delcode.delaware.gov)
- U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (field of study and institution data) (collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026 (bls.gov)
- Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026 (census.gov)
- Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Examiners (DPR) (dpr.delaware.gov)
- Division of Revenue - business (contractor) license (firststeps.delaware.gov)