3. Construction Project Foreman (Electrical/Mechanical) — $90,000 to $115,000
A journeyman electrician or plumber who moves into a foreman role does not give up their tools — they pick up a clipboard and a pay raise. Foremen on large commercial or industrial construction projects oversee crews of 10 to 30 workers, manage subcontractor schedules, and carry direct responsibility for project timelines and safety compliance.
The compensation reflects that responsibility. In 2026, electrical foremen on commercial projects in major US metros earn $90,000 to $115,000 as base salary, with many contracts including per diem, vehicle allowances, and performance bonuses that push total compensation above $130,000. Unlike a first-year associate attorney billing 2,200 hours per year at a large firm, a construction foreman typically works 45 to 50 hours per week and is home for dinner.
4. Steamfitter / Pipefitter — $84,000 to $118,000
Pipefitters and steamfitters install and maintain high-pressure piping systems in industrial facilities, power plants, and commercial HVAC systems. The work is physically demanding and technically complex — which is reflected directly in the pay.
| State | Median Annual Wage | Top 25% Earners |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $112,000 | $135,000+ |
| New York | $109,000 | $130,000+ |
| California | $103,000 | $125,000+ |
| Texas | $84,000 | $105,000+ |
United Association pipefitters in Chicago and New York negotiated 2025 contracts that set the journeyman rate at $52 to $58 per hour — before overtime, which is common in shutdown and turnaround work. A pipefitter who works three or four industrial shutdowns per year can earn $130,000 to $145,000 in total annual compensation.
5. Commercial HVAC Technician — $78,000 to $110,000
Residential HVAC technicians earn $50,000 to $65,000. Commercial HVAC technicians — who service large-scale cooling systems in office towers, hospitals, and data centers — earn $78,000 to $110,000. The distinction is the complexity and urgency of the work: a data center that overheats costs millions of dollars per hour in downtime, and the technician who can fix it at 2 a.m. commands a premium accordingly.
The commercial HVAC sector is experiencing acute shortage pressure driven by two forces: the retirement wave among technicians who trained in the 1980s and 1990s, and the explosion of data center construction across the United States. Microsoft, Amazon, and Google alone have announced more than $150 billion in US data center investment through 2027, and every one of those facilities requires full-time HVAC maintenance crews. Employers are offering signing bonuses of $3,000 to $8,000 for licensed commercial HVAC technicians in markets including Northern Virginia, Phoenix, and Columbus, Ohio.