The Case for a Career in the Skilled Trades Nearly 70 percent of high school students head to college after graduation, but a four-year education isn’t the only path to success. The skilled trades are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as college costs rise and it becomes harder to find a good job with a bachelor’s degree alone.
 
After reaching a high point just prior to the Great Recession, the career prospects for many college graduates have grown slim. While today’s college graduates earn an average of
$49,785 annually, as many as 25 percent earn little to no more than the average high school graduate, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Unfortunately, many of those low-earning grads still have loans to pay off, a number that averages $25,550 for the nearly seven in 10 public university graduates with student loan debt. So although higher education pays off for many, there’s a large minority that isn’t seeing the benefits.
 
 
As high school graduates look to the future and underemployed workers seek a career change, the skilled trades are emerging as an increasingly attractive option. But what, exactly, are the benefits of choosing the trades over a four-year degree?

 
1. Middle-Class Wages
 
According to Emsi, tradespeople earn an average of $42,328 in professions that only call for a high school diploma and an average of $46,321 in jobs that require a professional certificate. That’s comparable to the average pay of college graduates, without the high student debt burden. Plus, a number of skilled trades pay well above the average — elevator installers, substation technicians, power-line installers, construction managers, and steamfitters can all earn upwards of $60,000 annually.
 
 
2. Higher Entry-Level Pay
 
Finding career success with a bachelor’s degree frequently means starting off at a low wage and working your way up. While there’s plenty of room to grow in the skilled trades, workers get a head start on lifetime earnings thanks to paid apprenticeships and high entry-level pay.
 
 
3. Affordable Education
 
Vocational training programs are, on average, much more affordable than four-year colleges. The average expense for trade school is $33,000 from start to finish, and many well-paying professions come in considerably below that price. Furthermore, not all trades require formal training, and if there’s a particularly high demand in your area, you may be able to go straight into an apprenticeship.
 
 
4. On-the-Job Training
 
Companies once hired entry-level workers with the expectation of training a career employee, but today, most businesses expect new hires to walk in the door ready to work. But in a world of rapid technological advancement, it’s hard for job seekers to anticipate a future employer’s wants. The trades are one of the few professions where workers can still receive thorough
on-the-job training through apprenticeships.
 
 
5. In-Demand Careers
 
Many trades are facing a crisis as their workforce ages into retirement and there aren’t enough new workers to take their place. The Go Build America initiative reports that 60 percent of contractors struggle to find skilled workers to fill open positions. Due to this skilled worker shortage, new tradespeople have little trouble finding work.
 
 
6. Job Security
 
Despite the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, there are still a large number of skilled trades remaining stateside. Since those jobs generally require hands-on work at local job sites, they’re unlikely to disappear anytime soon.