What do the trades pay in Pennsylvania?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$32.50/hrPennsylvania median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$32.73/hrPennsylvania median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$30.00/hrPennsylvania median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$26.79/hrPennsylvania median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$39.20/hrPennsylvania median, construction supervisors
Is there work in Pennsylvania?
Construction jobs in Pennsylvania, September 2026: 262,900, down 0.5% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in Pennsylvania, September 2026: 2,185, up 1.8% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in Pennsylvania: 82,920.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Licensing
Who licenses contractors in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no statewide license for these five trades. General contractors and roofers register with the state. Cities and counties license electrical contractors, plumbing contractors and HVAC contractors.2
State board PA Office of Attorney General
- ElectricalLicensed by cities or counties
- PlumbingLicensed by cities or counties
- HVACLicensed by cities or counties
- RoofingState registration
- General contractorState registration
License lookup
Check a Pennsylvania contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
Training
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 Pennsylvania
Trade schools in Pennsylvania
Near youElectrician apprenticeships in PennsylvaniaPlumber apprenticeships in PennsylvaniaHVAC Technician apprenticeships in PennsylvaniaGeneral Contractor apprenticeships in PennsylvaniaRoofer apprenticeships in Pennsylvania
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 5Pittsburgh(412) 432-1400
- IBEW Local 56Erie(814) 825-5505
- IBEW Local 81Scranton(570) 344-5711
- IBEW Local 98Philadelphia(215) 563-5592
- IBEW Local 126Philadelphia(610) 489-1185
- IBEW Local 143Harrisburg(717) 232-7093
12 more IBEW locals
- IBEW Local 163Wilkes-Barre(570) 823-4028
- IBEW Local 229York(717) 843-8368
- IBEW Local 375Allentown(610) 432-9762
- IBEW Local 607Shamokin(570) 648-9831
- IBEW Local 654Chester(610) 494-2820
- IBEW Local 712Beaver(724) 775-0969
- IBEW Local 743Reading(610) 777-3100
- IBEW Local 812Williamsport(570) 368-8984
- IBEW Local 1319Wilkes-Barre(570) 714-1352
- IBEW Local 2009Huntingdon
- IBEW Local 102Office in Paterson, NJ(973) 887-1718
- IBEW Local 269Office in Trenton, NJ(609) 394-8129
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- IBEW Local Union 375, JATC101 S. 7th Street, Allentown(610) 432-9762
- Western Central PA Electricians JATC217 Sassafas Lane, Beaver(724) 775-6920
- Chester JATC3729 Chichester Avenue, Boothwyn(610) 494-2820
- ATEI 98 Zone 24020 Cross Keys Road, Collegeville(610) 489-6399
- IBEW Local 56 EETF185 Pennbriar Drive, Erie(814) 825-5505
- Harrisburg Electricians1501 Revere Street, Harrisburg(717) 232-7093
8 more centers
- Williamsport JATC500 Jordan Avenue, Montoursville(570) 368-8984
- Wilkes-Barre Elec. JATC41 W. Church Street, Nanticoke(570) 258-2665
- Apprentice Training for the Electrical Industry1101 Kitty Hawk Ave, Philadelphia(215) 567-6405
- Pittsburgh JATC5 Hot Metal Street, Suite 100, Pittsburgh(412) 432-1400
- LU #743 IBEW & NECA Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter20 Morgan Drive, Reading(610) 777-8388
- LU 607 IBEW Shamokin JATC25 South 5th Street, Shamokin(570) 648-9831
- Scranton Electricians JATC4 East Skyline Drive, South Abington Township(570) 319-1721
- York Elec. JATC555 Willow Springs Lane, York(717) 843-8368
IEC chapters (open shop)
- IEC Pennsylvania131 State Street, Harrisburg(717) 280-1124
UA union locals
- UA Local 27Coraopolis(724) 695-8175
- UA Local 354Youngwood(724) 925-7238
- UA Local 420Philadelphia(267) 350-4200
- UA Local 449Harmony(412) 381-1133
- UA Local 520Harrisburg(717) 652-3135
- UA Local 524Scranton(570) 347-9214
4 more UA locals
- UA Local 542Pittsburgh(412) 822-8040
- UA Local 600Sinking Spg(484) 955-5083
- UA Local 690Philadelphia(215) 677-6900
- UA Local 692Philadelphia(215) 671-1692
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 Pennsylvania4072 Mount Rd., Aston(800) 220-7422
- PHCC of Philadelphia Suburban4072 Mount Road, Ashton(484) 574-0716
- PHCC of Lancaster County17 E. Mohler Church Rd, Ephrata(717) 336-3454
- UAC Local 690 of the Greater Phila. RegionPO BOX 187, Feasterville(215) 396-2926
- Montgomery County PHCCc/o F. Wackenhut Co., 2132 York Rd, Jamison(215) 343-2222
- PHCC of the Lehigh ValleyPO Box 21508, Lehigh Valley(610) 360-2922
4 more chapters
- PHCC of Bucks County5503 Bristol Emilie Rd, Levittown(215) 943-1776
- PA At-Large PHCCPO Box 1215, Lightstreet(570) 784-4415
- Association of Master Plumbers Allegheny CountyPO Box 171, 283 Arden Rd., Pittsburgh(412) 923-1023
- PHCC of the Brotherhood of Master Plumbers739 Churchville Rd, Southampton(215) 364-0133
SMART union locals
- SMART Local 12Pittsburgh(412) 828-5300
- SMART Local 19Philadelphia(215) 952-1999
- SMART Local 44Wilkes Barre(570) 822-4781
- SMART Local 525Martinsburg(814) 215-5861
Sheet metal training centers
- Local 19 Training Center - Central Pennsylvania Sheet Metal JATC102 Windsor Ave, Hamburg(610) 562-5306
- Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 JATC1301 S Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia(215) 952-1950
- Sheet Metal Workers Local 12 JATC1200 Gulf Lab Road, Pittsburgh(412) 828-1386
- SMART Local 44 JATC of Northeastern PA270 North Sherman Street, Wilkes Barre(570) 822-4781
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
- PHCC of Pennsylvania4072 Mount Rd., Aston(800) 220-7422
- PHCC of Philadelphia Suburban4072 Mount Road, Ashton(484) 574-0716
- PHCC of Lancaster County17 E. Mohler Church Rd, Ephrata(717) 336-3454
- UAC Local 690 of the Greater Phila. RegionPO BOX 187, Feasterville(215) 396-2926
- Montgomery County PHCCc/o F. Wackenhut Co., 2132 York Rd, Jamison(215) 343-2222
- PHCC of the Lehigh ValleyPO Box 21508, Lehigh Valley(610) 360-2922
4 more chapters
- PHCC of Bucks County5503 Bristol Emilie Rd, Levittown(215) 943-1776
- PA At-Large PHCCPO Box 1215, Lightstreet(570) 784-4415
- Association of Master Plumbers Allegheny CountyPO Box 171, 283 Arden Rd., Pittsburgh(412) 923-1023
- PHCC of the Brotherhood of Master Plumbers739 Churchville Rd, Southampton(215) 364-0133
ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in Pennsylvania.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 158Philadelphia
- Carpenters Local 164Philadelphia
- Carpenters Local 167Allentown
- Carpenters Local 274Pittsburgh
- Carpenters Local 420North East
- Carpenters Local 423Duncansville
6 more Carpenters locals
- Carpenters Local 426Lebanon
- Carpenters Local 431Lebanon
- Carpenters Local 432Pittsburgh
- Carpenters Local 445Scranton
- Carpenters Local 474Philadelphia
- Carpenters Local 787Philadelphia
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- Pennsylvania BA205 Grandview Avenue, Camp Hill(717) 730-4380
- Lehigh Valley BA1524 W Linden St, Allentown(610) 432-4101
- Carbon Builders AssociationPO Box 218, Bowmanstown(610) 379-1099
- BA of Metro Pittsburgh102 Broadway St Ste 501, Carnegie(412) 434-5690
- Franklin County BA1102 Sheller Ave, Chambersburg(717) 267-2208
- Tri-County BA389 Highland Park Drive, Cooperstown(814) 374-4398
22 more chapters
- Central Susquehanna BA708 Bloom Road, Danville(570) 966-0625
- BA of Northwestern PAPO Box 8421, Erie(814) 833-3999
- HBA of Bucks & Montgomery Counties540 PENNSYLVANIA AVE STE 309, Fort Washington(215) 657-1300
- HBA of Adams CountyPO Box 3321, Gettysburg(717) 337-5144
- HBA of Metro Harrisburg2416 Park Dr, Harrisburg(717) 232-5595
- Wayne Pike Building Industry Association106 Shook Rd Ste 103, Hawley(570) 226-4941
- Mercer Co BA3580 Innovation Way, Hermitage(724) 475-4834
- Mid-Penn Building Industry AssociationPO Box 62, Hollidaysburg(814) 937-2531
- Indiana-Armstrong BA300 INDIAN SPRINGS ROAD, Indiana(724) 349-2327
- HBA of the Alleghenies1397 Eisenhower Blvd, Johnstown(814) 269-9268
- Somerset Cty. BA1397 Eisenhower Blvd, Johnstown(814) 269-9268
- HBA of Northeastern Pennsylvania250 Pierce St Ste 212, Kingston(570) 287-3331
- BIA of Lancaster204 Butler Ave Ste 200, Lancaster(717) 569-2674
- Lebanon County Builders Association1594 Cumberland St # 136, Lebanon(717) 272-6252
- BIA of Philadelphia1735 Market St Ste 432, Philadelphia(215) 242-7445
- Schuylkill Builders Assn1036 Schuylkill Mountain Rd, Schuylkill Haven(570) 385-3360
- BA of Central Pennsylvania1356 S Atherton St, State College(814) 231-8813
- Pocono BA (PA)745 Main St Ste 203, Stroudsburg(570) 421-9009
- HBA of Berks County2907 Mannerchor Rd, Temple(610) 921-0816
- HBA of Chester & Delaware Ctys.1502 McDaniel Dr, West Chester(610) 692-7733
- West Branch-Susquehanna BA1001 Washington Blvd, Williamsport(570) 326-4211
- York Builders Association540 GREENBRIAR RD, YORK
Roofers union locals
- Roofers Local 30Philadelphia
- Roofers Local 37Lower Burrell
- Roofers Local 210Erie
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
- Pennco Tech-Bristol3815 Otter St, Bristol
- Orleans Technical College2770 Red Lion Road, PhiladelphiaElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Pennsylvania College of TechnologyOne College Ave, WilliamsportElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- New Castle School of Trades4117 Pulaksi Road, New CastleElectrical programHVAC program
- Community College of Allegheny County800 Allegheny Ave, PittsburghElectrical programPlumbing programHVAC program
- Philadelphia Technician Training7446 D Ogontz Avenue, PhiladelphiaPlumbing programConstruction program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Pennsylvania, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- PA Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor Registration (attorneygeneral.gov)
- Pennsylvania lien law: Section 502(a), 301(a) (palegis.us)
- 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)