A List of Some of the Highest Paying Skilled Trades
Do you like to work with your hands? Do you like to learn as you do tasks vs learning through lectures and classes? If that sounds like you, trade school could be your perfect fit. Working in a skilled trade can net you a great salary, excellent job security, and usually leave you with fewer student loans compared to jobs that require traditional four year degrees. Trade school degrees and programs are also usually shorter, which means you can enter the workforce quicker and do something that you actually enjoy! But we also understand that income is going to be a big factor in what you decide to do. Let’s look at just a few of the highest paying skilled trades along with the skills and tasks each job requires.
1. Electricians and Electrical Contractors
Electricians and electrical contractors are well-known to be some of the highest paid skilled workers. Some of the primary tasks required for this position are wiring buildings for electrical power, adjusting and installing lighting, designing electrical systems, creating and installing communications systems, fire alarm systems, repairing electrical issues, maintaining, upgrading, and replacing electrical panels, and more. Many electricians attend a trade school for 1-2 years before getting an apprenticeship or another entry level position to learn more. As you learn more and move up the ladder, so to speak, you can start to make more money. For example, the average salary for electrical contractors in Massachusetts is $54,177. However, this can range from $21,000 to over $100,000 as well depending on a number of things. Salary can range based on location, experience, and niche. A traditional residential electrician is more common, so they may not make as much as an electrician with a niche specialty like those who specialize in energy efficiency projects, for example.
2. Boilermaker
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As the name suggests, boilermakers craft, make, and install boilers. This includes all boilers, vats, and tanks that usually contain liquids, gases, and solids used for industrial purposes. This could include dangerous chemicals or things such as oil.Boilermakers must have knowledge of these chemicals as well as an understanding of how to design and build boilers, how to read blueprints, and how install premade boilers. This is a physically demanding position that requires physical installation, lifting, and more. Boilermakers must also be able to maintain, repair, or upgrade pre-existing boilers. They also must have knowledge of welding, bolting, and riveting parts together. Because this job is so labor intensive and requires ample skilled trade knowledge, compensation is usually high. The average salary for boilermakers is $56,000. Employment for boilermakers is expected to increase as well and only requires a high school diploma plus an apprenticeship to get you in the field.
3. Construction Manager
Both of the positions we’ve outlined so far are mostly for those who enjoy working with their hands and actively doing the trade they’re involved in. Construction managers usually have construction experience and understand the trade, but they’re mostly involved with planning, managing, and designing construction projects.So if you have a talent for leading people, understanding how a construction site works, and want to take your construction career to the next level, construction management is the way to go. You’ll be working alongside architects and engineers as well as managing a team of laborers, construction workers, and more. You’ll also need to understand budgetary concerns, blueprint planning, and how to get building permits. Construction managers have to put in a lot of work and expertise, but they’re rewarded with an average salary of over $77,000 per year.
4. Ultrasonographer Let’s step away from the construction and building industries for a second and look at a healthcare related trade job. Ultrasonographers are technicians that take “pictures” and diagnostic images for medical reasons. This could include ultrasounds of the heart, of a growing fetus, blood vessels, muscles, and more. Many ultrasonographers specialize in a certain area of the body or medicine. Ultrasonographers are responsible for working alongside doctors to develop images and analyze results, understanding how to operate ultrasound equipment, taking notes and managing patient files, speaking and working with patients to help them understand the procedure, answer patient questions, and more. Ultrasonographers must have a passion for healthcare and biological sciences. They also need to be able to work well with people since they must work with both patients and doctors. The average salary for ultrasonographers is about $71,000 with a range from $59,000 to over $84,000.
Sources
https://comelectrical.com/ https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/How-Much-Does-an-ElectricalContractor-Make-a-Year--in-Massachusetts https://comelectrical.com/project-cat/energy-efficiency/ https://www.recruiter.com/salaries/boilermakers-salary/ https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/boilermakers.htm https://www.indeed.com/salaries/Construction-Manager-Salaries? from=careeradvice-US https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/diagnostic-medicalsonographer/salary
