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 about 9% above national wage.
A rubber-town legacy site, becoming a mixed-use district.
Akron's construction share of employment runs at 4.8%, below the 5.5% national figure — a genuinely balanced-to-discounted market overall, with most commercial trades running 3-5% below national wage averages.
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, and Akron Children's Hospital is adding to its Considine Professional Building.
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 additionUndisclosedUnderway
Consolidating hospital functions currently spread across leased spaces into a purpose-built addition.
What you'll actually pay — by role.
Most conventional Akron commercial trades run about 3-5% below BLS national averages. Advanced-manufacturing electricians are the clear exception at about 9% above national, tied to the NEO-SMART initiative.
| Role | Akron wage range | National average | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial construction manager / superintendent | $52 – $66/hr | $54 – $68/hr | -4% |
| Commercial HVAC mechanic / technician | $27 – $34/hr | $28 – $35/hr | -3% |
| Commercial electrician (journeyman) | $27 – $35/hr | $27 – $34/hr | +1% |
| Advanced-manufacturing electrician | $32 – $41/hr | $29 – $38/hr | +9% |
| Commercial plumber (journeyman) | $25 – $32/hr | $26 – $32/hr | -3% |
| Healthcare-construction electrician | $29 – $38/hr | $29 – $38/hr | Parity |
| Structural welder / ironworker | $25 – $33/hr | $27 – $35/hr | -5% |
| Heavy equipment operator (water/sewer infrastructure work) | $23 – $30/hr | $23 – $30/hr | Parity |
| Fire sprinkler fitter (NICET II+) | $27 – $35/hr | $28 – $36/hr | -3% |
| Commercial estimator (5+ yrs) | $40 – $52/hr | $42 – $54/hr | -4% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Akron MSA. Ranges reflect 25th-75th percentile, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on certifications, advanced-manufacturing experience, and years of experience.
What's happening, trade by trade.
Quick read of the current Akron market for each of our twelve commercial trades verticals.
HVAC & Mechanical
The East End redevelopment and Akron Children's Considine addition both need real mechanical scope. 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 about 9% above national — 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.
The positions we fill, most often.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial trades contractors in Akron — from senior leadership down to field roles. The highest-volume positions in this market over the last 24 months:
- 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 questions.
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?
Most conventional trades run at a modest discount to national — roughly 3-5% below BLS averages. The exception is advanced-manufacturing electricians, who run about 9% above national, 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 is adding to its Considine Professional Building.
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.
Does My Trade Talent have an office in Akron?
No. We're headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. We serve Akron clients remotely with same-day intake calls, market-specific candidate sourcing, and on-site visits as needed.
How does My Trade Talent know the Akron market without being based there?
We focus exclusively on commercial trades and maintain market data on every metro we serve — capital project tracking, wage benchmarks, and candidate network depth by trade. The East End redevelopment and NEO-SMART initiative are exactly the kind of concentrated demand signals we track closely.
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.
My Trade Talent is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, serving commercial trades clients across the continental US — including the Akron OH MSA.