Commercial trades hiring in Tulsa.
Tulsa International Airport is becoming a real aerospace manufacturing campus - Park Aerospace's $65M composites facility and Quantum Space's $80M propulsion/spacecraft-parts facility are both landing here. Aerospace-facility electricians now run above the national rate.
An airport becoming an aerospace campus.
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −19% for heavy equipment operators to −1% for electricians.
Park Aerospace is investing $65M in a new advanced composite materials manufacturing facility on 18 acres at the airport, expected to create more than 100 jobs with operations beginning in 2028. Quantum Space is separately investing $80M in a 25,000-40,000 sq ft facility in the Spartan Building for large propulsion tank manufacturing and precision spacecraft parts production, creating 50 jobs with operations expected in Q1 2027.
Both join existing aerospace tenants Agile Space Industries and Lufthansa Technik Component Services already on the campus - a genuine cluster forming, not a one-off announcement.
Major capital projects driving Tulsa commercial trades demand
- Park Aerospace advanced composites facility$65MOperations beginning 2028
A new advanced composite materials manufacturing facility on 18 acres at Tulsa International Airport, expected to create more than 100 jobs. Specialized industrial construction distinct from conventional commercial building.
- Quantum Space manufacturing facility$80MOperations expected Q1 2027
A 25,000-40,000 sq ft facility in the Spartan Building for large propulsion tank manufacturing and precision spacecraft parts production, expected to create 50 jobs. Adds to Tulsa International Airport's growing aerospace-campus identity alongside Agile Space Industries and Lufthansa Technik Component Services.
What you'll actually pay - by role.
Hourly wages for the Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa area run from −19% for heavy equipment operators to −1% for electricians. 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 | Tulsa hourly | National hourly | Median vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial construction superintendentBLS Construction Managers (11-9021) | $42.58 – $63.00median $50.94 | $42.57 – $72.91median $55.28 | −8% |
| Commercial electrician (journeyman)BLS Electricians (47-2111) | $23.40 – $37.18median $29.94 | $23.76 – $40.36median $30.38 | −1% |
| Commercial plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter (journeyman)BLS Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $21.89 – $35.72median $28.58 | $24.13 – $40.92median $30.67 | −7% |
| Heavy equipment operatorBLS Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $21.83 – $27.29median $23.28 | $23.40 – $37.10median $28.78 | −19% |
| Sheet metal workerBLS Sheet Metal Workers (47-2211) | $22.54 – $38.63median $26.97 | $22.99 – $39.24median $29.71 | −9% |
| Commercial rooferBLS Roofers (47-2181) | $18.60 – $39.29median $23.72 | $22.24 – $31.44median $26.65 | −11% |
| Commercial HVAC technicianBLS Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (49-9021) | $21.25 – $35.04median $28.25 | $23.25 – $37.05median $29.33 | −4% |
| Commercial estimatorBLS Cost Estimators (13-1051) | $26.19 – $46.64median $35.04 | $29.40 – $48.97median $37.86 | −7% |
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, Tulsa, OK, 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 Tulsa, trade by trade.
Quick read of the current Tulsa market for each of our 20 commercial trades verticals.
HVAC & Mechanical
Conventional commercial HVAC is in the range BLS reports nationally. Precision manufacturing environments for Park Aerospace and Quantum Space need environmental-control specifications most commercial technicians don't encounter.
Commercial Electrical
Aerospace/precision-manufacturing electricians serving the two new Tulsa International Airport facilities run above the national rate - the largest premium in this metro. Conventional commercial electrical is in the range BLS reports nationally.
Commercial Plumbing
Standard commercial plumbing is in the range BLS reports nationally, with no strong differentiated specialty layer at this stage.
Commercial Construction
Superintendents with aerospace/precision-manufacturing facility experience are the clear premium hire for the Park Aerospace and Quantum Space buildouts; generalist commercial superintendents price slightly below national average.
Commercial Roofing
Standard commercial roofing is in the range BLS reports nationally; the two new manufacturing facilities add some large-footprint industrial roofing opportunity.
Fire Protection
Aerospace-manufacturing suppression systems for composite materials and propulsion-tank production carry specific hazard classifications. NICET-certified designers with aerospace-facility experience are the shortage role.
Paving & Asphalt
Standard municipal and commercial paving demand is in the range BLS reports nationally, with some airport-adjacent site work tied to the new facilities.
Commercial Landscaping
Standard corporate and institutional grounds maintenance across the metro, with some airport-campus site work tied to the aerospace buildout.
Commercial Flooring
Industrial and static-control flooring for precision-manufacturing environments is a specialty niche; general commercial flooring is in the range BLS reports nationally.
Commercial Painting
Industrial coatings for aerospace-manufacturing facilities are a real niche; conventional commercial painting is in the range BLS reports nationally.
Commercial Cleaning & FM
Standard commercial and institutional facilities management demand across the metro, with precision-manufacturing-cleared cleaning crews a smaller specialty around the airport campus.
Welding & Fabrication
Structural fabrication for Park Aerospace's and Quantum Space's new facilities is steady demand; standard commercial and shop welding is in the range BLS reports nationally.
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 Tulsa, most often.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial trades contractors in Tulsa - from senior leadership down to field roles. The positions we recruit for in this market:
- Aerospace / precision-manufacturing electrician - the hardest hire in the region
- Superintendent with aerospace-facility experience
- Project manager (aerospace, commercial GC)
- Senior estimator
- Structural welder
- 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 Tulsa.
How do you hire commercial trades talent in Tulsa in 2026?
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −19% for heavy equipment operators to −1% for electricians. Park Aerospace is investing $65M in a new advanced composite materials facility on 18 acres, creating more than 100 jobs with operations beginning in 2028. Quantum Space is separately investing $80M in a facility for propulsion tank and spacecraft parts manufacturing, creating 50 jobs with operations expected in Q1 2027. Both join existing aerospace tenants Agile Space Industries and Lufthansa Technik Component Services on the same campus, which is why aerospace/precision-manufacturing electricians run above the national rate - the only real premium in this metro. Oklahoma licenses electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors statewide through the CIB. My Trade Talent screens Tulsa candidates against both the aerospace skills premium and CIB licensing.
How long does it take to hire a commercial trades professional in Tulsa?
For conventional commercial field roles: typically 3-5 weeks from intake to signed offer - close to national average. Aerospace/precision-manufacturing electricians serving the new Tulsa International Airport facilities run somewhat longer, 5-7 weeks, given the specialized experience most candidates don't carry.
Are commercial trades wages in Tulsa higher than the national average?
Against the BLS national median for the same occupation, field trades here run from −19% for heavy equipment operators to −1% for electricians. The exception is aerospace/precision-manufacturing electricians, who run above the national rate - the only real premium we track in this metro, tied to two new facilities at Tulsa International Airport.
How is Tulsa's aerospace growth affecting commercial trades hiring?
Tulsa International Airport is emerging as a genuine aerospace campus. Park Aerospace is investing $65M in a new advanced composite materials facility on 18 acres, creating more than 100 jobs with operations beginning in 2028. Quantum Space is separately investing $80M in a 25,000-40,000 sq ft facility for propulsion tank and spacecraft parts manufacturing, creating 50 jobs with operations expected in Q1 2027. Both join Agile Space Industries and Lufthansa Technik Component Services already on the campus, which is why aerospace-facility electricians carry a real premium in this market.
What licensing applies to commercial trades contractors in Tulsa?
Oklahoma licenses electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors statewide through the Construction Industries Board (CIB) - the same structure that applies across Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City. Requirements are tiered by scope (residential vs. unlimited/commercial), and all three trades require a $5,000 contractor license bond.
Hiring commercial trades in Tulsa?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.
