Blog
Trade Wage Intelligence for Specialty Contractors
BLS data breakdowns, hiring cost analysis, and compensation strategy for HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and welding contractors.
What's in an O*NET Occupational Profile - and Why It Matters for Hiring Trades
O*NET describes what a trade job actually involves. Pair it with wage data and your job descriptions write themselves.
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O*NET Job Zones Explained: How to Read the Experience Level of Any Trade
O*NET's Job Zones rank how much preparation a job takes. For trades, that maps neatly to apprentice, journeyman, and master.
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Wage Percentiles Explained: 10th to 90th, and What Each Means for Your Offer
Percentiles sound like a math class flashback. Here's what each one tells you about the market - and where to anchor your offer.
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What Is a SOC Code? A Trade Employer's Plain-English Guide
Every trade occupation has a SOC code - and it's the secret handshake for pulling the right BLS wage data. Here's how it works.
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How to Read BLS OES Data for Your Trade Business (Without a Spreadsheet Headache)
BLS data is free and authoritative - but buried in tab-delimited CSVs. Here's exactly how to find the right number for a trade hire.
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The Complete Guide to Benchmarking Skilled Trades Wages (BLS + O*NET) in 2026
A plain-English, end-to-end guide to figuring out what to pay electricians, plumbers, welders, and HVAC techs - using the same free government data the pros rely on.
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Electrician Salary by State in 2026: BLS Data for Employers
The BLS May 2024 OEWS release shows median electrician wages ranging from $46,580 in Mississippi to $99,440 in Illinois. Here's the state-by-state breakdown every electrical contractor needs.
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