What do the trades pay in North Carolina?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$27.31/hrNorth Carolina median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$27.44/hrNorth Carolina median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$27.53/hrNorth Carolina median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$23.56/hrNorth Carolina median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$36.19/hrNorth Carolina median, construction supervisors
Is there work in North Carolina?
Construction jobs in North Carolina, September 2026: 295,800, up 5.7% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in North Carolina, September 2026: 5,817, down 14.8% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in North Carolina: 86,900.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in North Carolina?
North Carolina licenses general contractors and the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing trades at the state level.2
- ElectricalState licenseNC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
- PlumbingState licenseNC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors
- HVACState licenseNC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors
- RoofingState licenseNC Licensing Board for General Contractors
- General contractorState licenseNC Licensing Board for General Contractors
Check a North Carolina 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 North Carolina
Trade schools in North Carolina
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 238Asheville(828) 505-0216
- IBEW Local 342Winston-Salem(336) 285-7781
- IBEW Local 379Charlotte(704) 455-4595
- IBEW Local 495Wilmington(910) 660-8630
- IBEW Local 553Raleigh(919) 596-8220
- IBEW Local 80Office in Norfolk, VA(757) 480-1740
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- LU 238 IBEW-NC200046 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville(828) 505-0216
- Charlotte Electrical JATC13530 South Ridge Dr, Charlotte(704) 523-7001
- Raleigh Durham Electrical JATC201 West Main #201, Durham(919) 596-6931
- Carolinas Electrical JATC-3427874 Thorndike Road, Greensboro(336) 285-9439
- Carolinas Electrical JATC2725 Old Wrightsboro Road Unit 3C, Wilmington(910) 660-8630
IEC chapters (open shop)
- Greater Charlotte IEC1422 Babbage Ln # 2807 Indian Trail(803) 517-5178
UA union locals
No UA local has its office in North Carolina. 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
- PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 532-0522
- PHCC of South Carolinac/o PHCC of North Carolina, PO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 532-0522
- Charlotte PHCC of North CarolinaCharlotte PHCC of North Carolina, PO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
- Triangle PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
- WNC Chapter of PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
- Wilmington PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
1 more chapters
- Greater Charlotte Chapter of PHCC of NCPO Box 1296, Matthews
SMART union locals
No SMART local has its office in North Carolina. Search the SMART local union directory.
Sheet metal training centers
- Sheet Metal Workers Union Training of North Carolina1446 Bethel Drive, High Point(336) 882-3167
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
- PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 532-0522
- PHCC of South Carolinac/o PHCC of North Carolina, PO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 532-0522
- Charlotte PHCC of North CarolinaCharlotte PHCC of North Carolina, PO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
- Triangle PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
- WNC Chapter of PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
- Wilmington PHCC of North CarolinaPO Box 489, Fuquay Varina(919) 530-9404
1 more chapters
- Greater Charlotte Chapter of PHCC of NCPO Box 1296, Matthews
ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in North Carolina.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 312Charlotte
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- HBA of North CarolinaPO Box 99090, Raleigh(919) 676-9090
- Stanly County Home Builders AssociationPO Box 416, Albemarle(704) 791-3019
- Surry Cty. HBA3104 Ararat Road, Ararat(336) 374-2955
- BA of the Blue Ridge MountainsPO Box 9722, Asheville(828) 299-7001
- HBA of Northeastern North CarolinaPO Box 59, Aydlett(252) 453-6668
- High Country HBAPO Box 3135, Boone(828) 297-6566
42 more chapters
- Alamance Caswell Builders AssociationPO Box 1713, Burlington(336) 227-1336
- HBA of Greater Charlotte417 East Blvd Ste 201, Charlotte(704) 343-5330
- Sampson Cty. HBAPO Box 67, Clinton(910) 592-4700
- HBA of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties1821 Hillandale Road, Durham(919) 265-9350
- Harnett County HBAPO BOX 701, ERWIN(910) 591-7344
- HBA Rockingham Cty.PO Box 61, Eden(336) 627-7700
- HBA of Fayetteville2935 Breezewood Ave, Fayetteville(910) 826-0648
- Rutherford County HBA2735 Whitesides Road, Forest City(828) 286-2489
- Franklin Cty. HBAPO Box 103, Franklinton(919) 495-5295
- HBA of Wayne CountyPO Box 744, Goldsboro(919) 738-7863
- Greater Greensboro BAPO Box 41135, Greensboro(336) 855-6255
- Inner Banks HBAPO Box 605, Greenville(252) 702-8366
- Foothills Home Builders Association3145 Tate Blvd SE, Hickory(828) 322-6482
- High Point Area Builders AssociationPO Box 1877, High Point(336) 885-5687
- Onslow County HBAPO Box 1258, Jacksonville(910) 375-9261
- Ashe Alleghany HBAPO Box 1450, Jefferson(336) 620-2000
- Outer Banks HBA105 Airstrip Rd, Kill Devil Hills(252) 449-8232
- HBA of KinstonPO Box 6310, Kinston(252) 361-2595
- HBA of Davidson CountyPO Box 358, Lexington(336) 238-1930
- HBA of McDowell CountyPO Box 507, Marion(704) 418-8242
- Davie County Home Builders AssociationPO Box 841, Mocksville
- Lake Norman HBAPO Box 5166, Mooresville(704) 664-5622
- Carteret County HBAPO Box 1348, Morehead City(252) 726-1475
- Western Piedmont HBAPO Box 14, Morganton(828) 413-7073
- HBA of Craven and Pamlico CountiesPO Box 14009, New Bern
- Vance Granville Home Builders AssociationPO Box 803, Oxford(919) 603-5081
- Moore County HBAPO Box 4033, Pinehurst(910) 773-6577
- HBA of Raleigh & Wake County5580 Centerview Dr, Raleigh(919) 232-5897
- Robeson County HBA2421 Dairy Rd, Red Springs(910) 843-5305
- Roanoke Regional HBA1625 E 10th St, Roanoke Rapids(252) 578-8635
- Richmond Cty. HBAP O Box 592, Rockingham(910) 895-0850
- Roxboro-Person Cty. HBAPO Box 1154, Roxboro(336) 504-1361
- HBA of Salisbury-RowanPO Box 1334, Salisbury(704) 918-7261
- Sanford Area HBAPO Box 1084, Sanford(919) 770-6080
- Brunswick County HBA64 Union School Rd NW, Shallotte(910) 579-5544
- Johnston County BIA301 Bridge St, Smithfield(919) 938-4927
- Smoky Mountain HBAPO Box 162, Waynesville(828) 454-0221
- Columbus Cty. HBAPO Box 2165, Whiteville(910) 642-5054
- Wilkes Cty. HBAPO Box 902, Wilkesboro(336) 667-5455
- Wilmington Cape Fear HBAPO Box 3101, Wilmington(910) 799-2611
- HBA of WilsonPO Box 7011, Wilson(252) 885-8695
- Northwest Piedmont Builders Association220 Charlois Blvd, Winston Salem(336) 464-8002
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in North Carolina. 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
- Wake Technical Community College9101 Fayetteville Road, RaleighElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Pitt Community College1986 Pitt Tech Road, Winterville
- Cape Fear Community College411 North Front Street, WilmingtonElectrical program
- Central Piedmont Community College1201 Elizabeth Avenue, CharlotteElectrical programHVAC programConstruction program
- Fayetteville Technical Community College2201 Hull Rd, Fayetteville
- Guilford Technical Community College601 E. Main Street, JamestownElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, North Carolina, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- NC Licensing Board for General Contractors (nclbgc.org)
- North Carolina lien law: G.S. 44A-11.1(a); 44A-11.2(b), (l), (m); 44A-19 (ncleg.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)
- NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (ncbeec.org)
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (nclicensing.org)