What do the trades pay in Maine?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$36.24/hrMaine median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$30.77/hrMaine median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$30.37/hrMaine median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$24.10/hrMaine median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$37.16/hrMaine median, construction supervisors
Is there work in Maine?
Construction jobs in Maine, September 2026: 35,100, down 1.1% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in Maine, September 2026: 585, up 9.1% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in Maine: 12,480.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in Maine?
Maine licenses electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors at the state level. General contractors and roofers need no state license.2
- ElectricalState licenseElectricians' Examining Board (OPOR)
- PlumbingState licensePlumbers' Examining Board (OPOR)
- HVACState licenseMaine Fuel Board (OPOR)
- RoofingNo state license
- General contractorNo state license
Check a Maine 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.
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 567Portland(207) 786-9770
- IBEW Local 1253Augusta(207) 453-1301
- IBEW Local 104Office in Boston, MA(508) 660-3900
- IBEW Local 490Office in Dover, NH(603) 224-4239
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- Portland JATC238 Goddard Road, P.O. Box 1289, Lewiston(207) 786-9770
- Augusta Electrical JATC142 Elm Stree, Newport(207) 453-1301
IEC chapters (open shop)
No IEC chapter lists an office in Maine. Chapters cover several states; the finder shows each one's area. IEC chapter finder
UA union locals
- UA Local 716Augusta(207) 621-0555
Training
UA apprenticeships run through a joint committee of the local and union contractors. Call the local for the next application date.
PHCC chapters
- PHCC of Maine69 Rock Ridge Run, Cumberland(207) 829-5055
SMART union locals
No SMART local has its office in Maine. Search the SMART local union directory.
Sheet metal training centers
- SMW Local 17 Training Fund of ME19 Enterprise Street, Lewiston(207) 576-1131
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
- PHCC of Maine69 Rock Ridge Run, Cumberland(207) 829-5055
ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in Maine.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 349Portland
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- Home Builders & Remodelers Association of MainePO Box 1209, Scarborough(719) 465-1601
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in Maine. 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
- Northeast Technical Institute51 US RT 1 Suite K, ScarboroughHVAC program
- Kennebec Valley Community College92 Western Ave, FairfieldElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Southern Maine Community College2 Fort Road, South PortlandElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Eastern Maine Community College354 Hogan Rd, BangorElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Northern Maine Community College33 Edgemont Dr, Presque IsleElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Washington County Community CollegeOne College Drive, CalaisElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Maine, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Electricians' Examining Board (OPOR) (www1.maine.gov)
- Maine lien law: 10 M.R.S. s. 3253 (legislature.maine.gov)
- Maine lien law: 10 M.R.S. s. 3255, s. 3261 and s. 3262 (legislature.maine.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)
- Plumbers' Examining Board (OPOR) (maine.gov)
- Maine Fuel Board (OPOR) (maine.gov)