Can I Make a Living in the Trades?

It has often been said that the more education you have the more you will earn. While this statement seems true, we all know the college graduate who works at Starbucks. Indeed, finding the right career for you is more important than finding the job that pays the highest salary. An electrician who is excellent at her trade, can earn far more than a hedge fund manager who is horrible at his.  

Below is a listing of salary ranges for careers in the trades. While it is easy to get fixated on the highest salary, remember that no one starts in a career at the highest level and many jobs require years of expensive college education to even get into them. Starting in a trade career often means on-the-job training while being paid, which can result in high salaries being earned younger in life. 

Long Years of Schooling with Little or No Pay!

Medical Doctor’s (another skilled, hands-on trade career) have long years of expensive training in which they receive little or no pay. Certainly Medical Doctors can end up earning high salaries after years – 15 or more years. They may end up with a better earning potential, if they are good at their job, but their investment risk is high.

Medical Doctor
Years of Training10 to 14
Cost of Training$174,000 to $242,000 for medical training – plus $50,000 to 140,000 in pre-med training = $400,000
Salary Range$60,970 – $201,590 (or higher for specialty fields)

Earn a Living While You Train!

Skilled trade careers, especially those in the residential service industry, are a great fit for those with mechanical aptitude and who enjoy working in a desk free environment. Earnings may start lower, but they include on-the-job training, which boosts your overall lifetime income. And they don’t always require sitting through four or more years of college, with the expensive price tag that comes with it.

In addition, many of these careers have bright outlooks, which means there are plenty of job opportunities. Below are some of the skill trade careers you may consider. The numbers reflected are averages. It is easy to find people in any of these careers earning even higher salaries.

Electrician
Years of Training1 to 5
Cost of Training$1,000 to $11,000 (after basic training additional time learning the trade is spent on the job, earning a salary)
Salary Range$33,410 to $96,580
Electrician’s Helper
Years of TrainingOn-the-job
Cost of Training$0 – on-the-job, including potentially upgrading to being a full electrician
Salary Range$23,200 to $48,810
Plumber
Years of TrainingAbout 2 years, followed by on the job training
Cost of Training$1,000 to $25,000 (after basic training additional time learning the trade is spent on the job, earning a salary)
Salary Range$32,690 to $97,170
HVAC Technician
Years of Training1 to 2
Cost of Training$1,000 to $25,000 (after basic training additional time learning the trade is spent on the job, earning a salary)
Salary Range$30,610 to $77,290
Sheet Metal Worker
Years of TrainingOn-the-job training or apprenticeship
Cost of Training$0 – on-the-job
Salary Range$29,260 to $88,070
Welder
Years of Training9 months to 2 years
Cost of Training$5,000 to $15,000 (after basic training additional time learning the trade is spent on the job, earning a salary)
Salary Range$29,470 to $64,240

Data Source for salaries: O*NET OnLine

Data Source for years and cost of schooling varied, there are many types of programs and many ways to enter the trades. The numbers listed are a general range of possibilities.