9 Strong Associate Job Fields to Consider as a Career Path

With salaries on the rise and plenty of available jobs, now is a great time for students or for anyone to make a career change to pursue a career in construction.

Job openings have remained steady in construction in 2025, with 246,000 open jobs reported in June, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. 

As NAHB continues celebrating Associate Member Appreciation Month in September, we're highlighting a few of the construction trades' strongest-paying Associate jobs and the skills needed to succeed at them. (All statistics are provided by the BLS).

• Carpentry, $59,890 average salary. Carpenters are needed in all areas of construction and often find work throughout an entire build. Average carpentry salaries increased $1,560 this year compared to 2024.
• Electrical, $61,420 average salary. Nothing in modern society is possible without the work of electricians. This career pays $3,500 more on average than it did in 2024.
• HVACR, $59,810 average salary. Install or repair heating, ventilation, and central air conditioning or refrigeration systems including oil burners, hot-air furnaces and heating stoves. This career pays $8,060 more on average than in 2024.
• Welding, $55,100 average salary. Welders typically focus on joining steel beams for building support and pipes for carrying water or natural gas.
• Drywall/Ceiling Installation, $58,300 average salary. Drywall installers and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile of interior rooms in buildings. This career pays $4,630 more on average than in 2024.
• Masonry, $61,030 average salary. Masons specialize using uses brick, stone, marble, granite, concrete block, stucco and more.
• Painting, $48,660 average salary. All interior and even some exterior surfaces need painting when a home is built to protect them from damage by water, mold or corrosion.
• Plumbing, $62,820 average salary. If you enjoy working with your hands, plumbers install, repair and maintain pipes in residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
• Building Maintenance Technician, $52,430 average salary. Use multiple skills to keep the structure of a building in good condition. Duties include HVAC maintenance, insulating, carpentry, or electrical. This career pays $1,480 more on average than it did in 2024.

Learn more when NAHB celebrates its Careers in Construction Month in October.

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