Commercial trades hiring in Akron.
The former Goodyear headquarters campus is being reimagined as a mixed-use district, a $160M NSF grant is fueling advanced manufacturing, and the city just committed $341.9M to 2026 infrastructure. Advanced-manufacturing electricians now run above the national rate.
A rubber-town legacy site, becoming a mixed-use district.
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −1% for plumbers and pipefitters to +24% for sheet metal workers.
The city's 2026 Capital Budget commits $341.9M to infrastructure - including major water/sewer work like the Northside Interceptor Tunnel and a $23.5M Brittain Road Reservoir replacement, plus $53M+ in transportation projects and a multi-year Stubbs Justice Center renovation. Separately, the former Goodyear headquarters campus - a 400-acre site already home to a consolidated 642,000 sq ft Goodyear world headquarters - is midway through "The East End" redevelopment, reimagining 1.4 million sq ft of historic Goodyear buildings as a mixed-use, live-work-play district.
A $160M National Science Foundation grant is backing the NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative, aiming to create or retain 20,000 regional jobs and train 12,000 workers over 10 years. Akron Children's Hospital completed its Considine Professional Building addition in 2018 - a historical example of the healthcare-construction capacity this metro delivers.
Major capital projects driving Akron commercial trades demand
- Akron 2026 Capital Budget$341.9M2026 fiscal year
Water/sewer infrastructure (including the Northside Interceptor Tunnel and $23.5M Brittain Road Reservoir replacement), $53M+ in transportation projects, and a multi-year Stubbs Justice Center renovation.
- East End & Goodyear HQ redevelopmentUndisclosed (400-acre site)Phase II ongoing
A 642,000 sq ft consolidated Goodyear world headquarters already built, with Phase II reimagining the original 1.4 million sq ft Goodyear Headquarters and Goodyear Hall as a mixed-use "live, work, play" district.
- NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative$160M (NSF grant)10-year initiative
Aims to create or retain 20,000 jobs regionally and train 12,000 workers in new materials and manufacturing.
- Akron Children's Hospital Considine Building addition~$84M (230,000 sq ft)Completed 2018
Consolidated hospital functions previously spread across leased spaces into a purpose-built addition - a completed, historical example of the healthcare-construction capacity this metro delivers, not an active current driver.
What you'll actually pay - by role.
Hourly wages for the Akron, OH area, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release for May 2025. These are the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile BLS reports — not our estimate of them. Each row names the BLS occupation it was read from, because our job titles and BLS's occupations are not the same list.
Measured against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades in the Akron area run from −1% for plumbers and pipefitters to +24% for sheet metal workers. The spread between trades is wider than the gap between most cities, which is why a single "market premium" figure is not much use when you are pricing a specific role.
| Role | Akron hourly | National hourly | Median vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial construction superintendentBLS Construction Managers (11-9021) | $37.52 – $60.64median $49.34 | $42.57 – $72.91median $55.28 | −11% |
| Commercial electrician (journeyman)BLS Electricians (47-2111) | $28.73 – $48.37median $37.19 | $23.76 – $40.36median $30.38 | +22% |
| Commercial plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter (journeyman)BLS Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $23.56 – $39.73median $30.50 | $24.13 – $40.92median $30.67 | −1% |
| Heavy equipment operatorBLS Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $25.42 – $44.95median $30.73 | $23.40 – $37.10median $28.78 | +7% |
| Sheet metal workerBLS Sheet Metal Workers (47-2211) | $22.25 – $37.00median $36.71 | $22.99 – $39.24median $29.71 | +24% |
| Commercial rooferBLS Roofers (47-2181) | $22.86 – $36.22median $26.28 | $22.24 – $31.44median $26.65 | −1% |
| Commercial HVAC technicianBLS Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (49-9021) | $23.41 – $36.78median $29.37 | $23.25 – $37.05median $29.33 | Level with US |
| Commercial estimatorBLS Cost Estimators (13-1051) | $29.96 – $46.88median $37.25 | $29.40 – $48.97median $37.86 | −2% |
BLS counts plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters and sprinkler fitters as one occupation. We do not split them here, because splitting them would mean inventing a number BLS does not publish.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. 25th–75th percentile hourly, Akron, OH, retrieved October 15, 2026. Download the source file (40 MB .zip) and check any figure. BLS publishes no commercial-only, journeyman-only or certification-specific wage, so we do not print one.
What's happening in Akron, trade by trade.
Quick read of the current Akron market for each of our 20 commercial trades verticals.
HVAC & Mechanical
The East End redevelopment needs real mechanical scope; Akron Children's completed Considine addition is a historical example of the same capacity, not an active driver. Standard commercial HVAC otherwise runs at a modest regional discount.
Commercial Electrical
Advanced-manufacturing electricians tied to the NEO-SMART initiative's $160M workforce and facilities push run above the national rate - the clearest premium in this market.
Commercial Plumbing
Standard commercial plumbing runs at a modest regional discount; the water/sewer capital program adds significant civil-side plumbing/utility demand.
Commercial Construction
Superintendents with mixed-use redevelopment or advanced-manufacturing delivery experience are the premium hire across the East End and NEO-SMART initiatives.
Commercial Roofing
The East End's Phase II redevelopment of 1.4M sq ft of former Goodyear buildings carries substantial roofing scope; standard commercial roofing runs at a modest discount.
Fire Protection
Healthcare-grade suppression for Akron Children's addition and mixed-use suppression for The East End redevelopment are both real, if modest, niches.
Paving & Asphalt
Akron's $341.9M capital budget, with $53M+ in transportation projects, is a substantial and steady heavy-civil driver.
Commercial Landscaping
Standard institutional and corporate landscaping demand tied to the East End's mixed-use redevelopment and downtown's broader Innerbelt Master Plan.
Commercial Flooring
Healthcare-grade flooring for Akron Children's addition is a distinct, higher-skill install; standard commercial flooring runs at a modest regional discount.
Commercial Painting
Standard commercial painting demand runs at a modest regional discount, with healthcare-facility coatings for Akron Children's as a smaller specialty niche.
Commercial Cleaning & FM
Healthcare-grade cleaning for Akron Children's and mixed-use facilities management for The East End are distinct, higher-skill tiers from conventional office cleaning.
Welding & Fabrication
Structural fabrication tied to the NEO-SMART advanced-manufacturing push and The East End's redevelopment is steady demand. Standard shop welding runs at a modest discount.
Commercial Irrigation
A specialist trade most contractors still source through agriculture or generalist staffing - we recruit it directly, not as an afterthought.
Commercial Pest Control
Licensing-driven and referral-heavy - a maintained, license-verified pipeline outperforms reactive posting in this trade specifically.
Commercial Trucking
A licensing-bottlenecked market where CDL credentials and clean records matter more than resume keywords.
Elevator Maintenance
A small, credential-gated labor pool most generalist recruiters can't actually verify.
Insulation
Mechanical insulators and building-envelope installers are two distinct hiring pools most recruiters treat as one.
LED & Solar
One of the fastest-growing trades we track nationally, and one of the least served by specialist recruiters.
Masonry & Concrete
A small, referral-driven labor pool where reputation moves faster than job postings.
Physical Security
Installers and integrators need both electrical and IT skill - a dual-skillset hiring problem most firms get wrong.
The positions we fill in Akron, most often.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial trades contractors in Akron - from senior leadership down to field roles. The positions we recruit for in this market:
- Advanced-manufacturing electrician - the hardest hire in the region
- Superintendent with mixed-use redevelopment or manufacturing delivery experience
- Project manager (manufacturing, municipal infrastructure, commercial GC)
- Senior estimator
- Heavy equipment operator (water/sewer infrastructure work)
- Service manager (HVAC, electrical, plumbing)
For a full list of the 80+ commercial trades positions we recruit for, see the individual industry pages - each lists the 10 most-recruited roles for that trade with current wage ranges.
Frequently asked — commercial trades hiring in Akron.
How do you hire commercial trades talent in Akron in 2026?
Commercial trades hiring in Akron in 2026 runs on a citywide capital investment program layered on top of a genuinely notable manufacturing and redevelopment story. Akron's 2026 Capital Budget commits $341.9M to infrastructure, including major water/sewer work (the Northside Interceptor Tunnel, $23.5M Brittain Road Reservoir replacement) and $53M+ in transportation projects. Separately, the former Goodyear headquarters campus - a 400-acre site already home to a consolidated 642,000 sq ft Goodyear world headquarters - is midway through "The East End" redevelopment, reimagining 1.4 million sq ft of historic Goodyear buildings as a mixed-use district. A $160M National Science Foundation grant is backing the NEO-SMART initiative to create or retain 20,000 regional manufacturing jobs, and Akron Children's Hospital completed its Considine Professional Building addition in 2018. Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −1% for plumbers and pipefitters to +24% for sheet metal workers. Ohio regulates five specialty trades statewide through the OCILB, with general contracting regulated locally. My Trade Talent screens Akron candidates against both the general market discount and the advanced-manufacturing skills premium.
How long does it take to hire a commercial trades professional in Akron?
For field roles: typically 4-6 weeks from intake to signed offer. Advanced-manufacturing electricians run slightly longer, 6-8 weeks, because the NEO-SMART initiative's facilities and workforce investment is drawing on a more specialized skill set even in a generally balanced-to-discounted labor market.
Are commercial trades wages in Akron higher than the national average?
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −1% for plumbers and pipefitters to +24% for sheet metal workers. The exception is advanced-manufacturing electricians, who run above the national rate, tied to the region's $160M NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative.
What's driving commercial trades demand in Akron right now?
A citywide capital investment program running alongside a genuinely notable manufacturing and redevelopment story. Akron's 2026 Capital Budget commits $341.9M to infrastructure, including major water/sewer work and $53M+ in transportation projects. Separately, the former Goodyear headquarters campus - a 400-acre site - is midway through "The East End" redevelopment, reimagining 1.4 million sq ft of historic Goodyear buildings as a mixed live-work-play district. A $160M National Science Foundation grant is backing the NEO-SMART initiative to create or retain 20,000 regional manufacturing jobs, and Akron Children's Hospital completed its Considine Professional Building addition in 2018.
What licensing applies to commercial trades contractors in Akron?
Ohio has no state-level general contractor license. Ohio regulates five specialty trades statewide through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB): Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing, and Refrigeration - each requiring a qualifying individual to pass a trade exam and a business/law exam, plus at least $500,000 in liability insurance. General building contracting itself is regulated locally by city and county.
3 roles open in Akron right now.
Not a sample of what we could find - these are seats a contractor here is actively trying to fill, and the application goes to us rather than into a job board.
Every open role we are running →
Board last synced November 12, 2026. Roles move fast; /jobs/ is always the current list.
Hiring commercial trades in Akron?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.
