If you thought blue collar work in India paid a flat, low wage across the board, the Labour Bureau’s numbers say otherwise. According to the Labour Bureau’s Average Daily Wage Rate report for Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Occupations (2023), there’s a wide gap between what the best-paid and worst-paid blue collar workers in the country take home every day — and masons, not electricians or drivers, top the list.
Here’s a full breakdown of the highest-paid blue collar occupations in India, ranked by average daily wage for men in 2023, based on official government data.
Highest-Paid Blue Collar Occupations In India (2023, Men’s Average Daily Wage)
| Rank | Occupation | Average Daily Wage (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mason (Raj Mistri) | 592.17 |
| 2 | Plumber | 537.79 |
| 3 | Carpenter | 533.44 |
| 4 | Electrician | 526.47 |
| 5 | LMV & Tractor Drivers | 460.05 |
| 6 | Blacksmith | 436.12 |
| 7 | Handicraft Workers | 413.34 |
| 8 | Construction Workers (roads, bridges, dams, industrial projects) | 411.30 |
| 9 | Non-Agriculture Labourers (porters, loaders) | 365.17 |
| 10 | Weavers | 361.04 |
| 11 | Bamboo & Cane Basket Weavers | 319.90 |
| 12 | Sweeping/Cleaning Workers | 307.65 |
| 13 | Beedi Makers | 243.75 |
Figures are average daily wages in rupees for men, non-agricultural occupations, as recorded by the Labour Bureau for the calendar year 2023.
Masons Top The List
Masonry comes out as the highest-paid blue collar occupation in India, with men earning an average of ₹592.17 a day in 2023 — up from ₹558.12 in 2022 and ₹529.63 in 2021. Steady demand from India’s construction and real estate boom, combined with a persistent shortage of skilled masons in urban centres, has kept wages for this trade climbing year after year.
Plumbers, Carpenters And Electricians Follow Close Behind
Rounding out the top four are three other classic skilled trades:
- Plumbers earned an average of ₹537.79/day, making them the second-highest paid blue collar workers in the country.
- Carpenters followed closely at ₹533.44/day.
- Electricians came in fourth at ₹526.47/day.
All three trades share a common thread — they require a defined skill set and certification or apprenticeship, which keeps wages meaningfully higher than for unskilled labour.
Drivers And Blacksmiths Make The Middle Tier
Light motor vehicle and tractor drivers earned an average of ₹460.05/day, ranking fifth on the list, ahead of traditional trades like blacksmiths (₹436.12/day) and handicraft workers (₹413.34/day). General construction workers — those working on roads, bridges, dams and industrial projects — averaged ₹411.30/day.
Lowest-Paid Blue Collar Occupations
At the other end of the scale, beedi makers earned just ₹243.75/day on average in 2023, making them the lowest-paid non-agricultural blue collar workers tracked by the Labour Bureau. Sweeping and cleaning workers (₹307.65/day) and bamboo and cane basket weavers (₹319.90/day) also featured among the lowest earners.
Why This Data Matters
The Labour Bureau’s wage survey is one of the few consistent, government-verified sources tracking how much India’s blue collar workforce actually earns across states and sectors. The 2023 numbers reinforce a familiar pattern: skilled trades tied to India’s construction and infrastructure push — masons, plumbers, carpenters and electricians — continue to command the highest daily wages, while informal, home-based, or low-barrier-to-entry work like beedi rolling and basket weaving remains at the bottom of the pay scale.
For India’s blue collar workforce, the message from the data is clear — skilled trades pay significantly better than unskilled or informal labour, and that gap appears to be widening year over year.