What do the trades pay in District of Columbia?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$37.97/hrDistrict of Columbia median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$48.57/hrDistrict of Columbia median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$40.57/hrDistrict of Columbia median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$29.69/hrDistrict of Columbia median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$41.60/hrDistrict of Columbia median, construction supervisors
Is there work in District of Columbia?
Construction, mining and logging jobs in District of Columbia, September 2026: 14,200, up 3.6% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in District of Columbia, September 2026: 303, up 17.0% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in District of Columbia: 5,370.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia licenses general contractors and the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing trades at the state level.2
- ElectricalState licenseDLCP
- PlumbingState licenseDLCP
- HVACState licenseDLCP
- RoofingState licenseDept of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP)
- General contractorState licenseDept of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP)
Check a District of Columbia contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
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.
Apprenticeships in District of Columbia
Trade schools in District of Columbia
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
No IBEW local has its office in District of Columbia. Search the IBEW local union directory.
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
No center in the national list has an address in District of Columbia. Electrical Training Alliance locator
IEC chapters (open shop)
No IEC chapter lists an office in District of Columbia. Chapters cover several states; the finder shows each one's area. IEC chapter finder
UA union locals
No UA local has its office in District of Columbia. Search the UA local union finder.
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 District of Columbia. PHCC chapter finder
SMART union locals
No SMART local has its office in District of Columbia. Search the SMART local union directory.
Sheet metal training centers
No center in the national list has an address in District of Columbia. ITI training center finder
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
No PHCC chapter lists an office in District of Columbia. ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in District of Columbia.
Carpenters union locals
No Carpenters local has its office in District of Columbia. Search the Carpenters local union finder.
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
No home builder association lists an office in District of Columbia. NAHB association directory
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in District of Columbia. 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
- University of the District of Columbia4200 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, District of Columbia, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Dept of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) - Business Licensing (dlcp.dc.gov)
- District of Columbia lien law: D.C. Code 40-301.02 (code.dccouncil.gov)
- District of Columbia lien law: D.C. Code 40-303.13 (code.dccouncil.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)
- DLCP - Board of Industrial Trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC) (dlcp.dc.gov)