What do the trades pay in Maryland?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$35.33/hrMaryland median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$31.44/hrMaryland median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$33.67/hrMaryland median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$28.89/hrMaryland median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$37.87/hrMaryland median, construction supervisors
Is there work in Maryland?
Construction jobs in Maryland, September 2026: 163,600, down 0.8% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in Maryland, September 2026: 745, up 4.0% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in Maryland: 51,120.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in Maryland?
Maryland licenses general contractors and the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing trades at the state level.2
- ElectricalState licenseState Board of Electricians
- PlumbingState licenseState Board of Plumbing
- HVACState licenseBoard of HVACR Contractors
- RoofingState licenseMaryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC)
- General contractorState licenseMaryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC)
Check a Maryland contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
Miss a date, lose the lien
File a petition to establish the lien, with a supporting affidavit and copies of the key papers, in the circuit court for the county where the land is, within 180 days after the work was finished or the materials were furnished. The court then orders the owner to show cause within 15 days of service.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 24Baltimore(410) 247-5511
- IBEW Local 26Washington(301) 459-2900
- IBEW Local 70Washington(301) 516-7730
- IBEW Local 307Cumberland(301) 724-3403
- IBEW Local 313Office in Wilmington, DE(302) 328-0773
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- Baltimore Electrical JATC2699 West Patapsco Avenue, Baltimore(410) 247-3313
- Western Maryland JATC307 E Offutt Street, P.O. Box 122, Cumberland(301) 724-5282
- L.U. 26, JATC4371 Parliament Place, Suite A, Lanham(301) 429-2575
IEC chapters (open shop)
- IEC Chesapeake8751 Freestate Dr., Ste. 250 Laurel(301) 621-9545
UA union locals
- UA Local 5Lanham(301) 899-7861
- UA Local 486Baltimore(410) 866-4380
- UA Local 602Capitol Heights(301) 333-2356
- UA Local 669Columbia(410) 381-4300
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 Maryland10176 Baltimore National Pike Ste 205, Ellicott City(410) 461-5977
SMART union locals
- SMART Local 100Suitland(301) 568-8655
- SMART Local 363Capitol Heights(202) 746-1677
Sheet metal training centers
- Baltimore Sheet Metal Workers JAC4705 Erdman Ave., Baltimore(410) 732-1849
- Sheet Metal Local 100 Cumberland Area JATC42 Clement St., Cumberland(301) 724-6342
- Sheet Metal Workers Local 100 JATC4725 Silver Hill Road, Suitland
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
- PHCC of Maryland10176 Baltimore National Pike Ste 205, Ellicott City(410) 461-5977
ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in Maryland.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 197Upper Marlboro
- Carpenters Local 491Baltimore
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- HBA of Western MarylandPO Box 2393, Cumberland(301) 722-4343
- Frederick County Building Industry Association203 W Patrick St Ste B, Frederick(301) 663-3599
- Maryland Building Industry Association11825 W Market Pl, Fulton(301) 776-6242
Roofers union locals
- Roofers Local 34Flintstone
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
- Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia9325 Snowden River Pky, ColumbiaElectrical program
- North American Trade Schools6901 Security Blvd, Suite 16, Baltimore
- All-State Career-Baltimore2200 Broening Hwy Ste 160, BaltimoreHVAC program
- Montgomery College51 Mannakee Street, RockvilleElectrical programHVAC programConstruction program
- Prince George's Community College301 Largo Rd, Largo
- Morgan State University1700 East Cold Spring Lane, BaltimoreConstruction program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Maryland, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) (labor.maryland.gov)
- Maryland lien law: Md. Code, Real Prop. 9-105, 9-106 (mgaleg.maryland.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)
- State Board of Electricians (labor.maryland.gov)
- State Board of Plumbing (labor.maryland.gov)
- Board of HVACR Contractors (labor.maryland.gov)
- Local jurisdictions (commercial GC / local electrician license) (labor.maryland.gov)