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With the cost of higher education out of reach for many, more young people are flocking to high-paying trade jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Many of these jobs pay well, but they are typically in high demand due to unpredictable job markets and economic conditions.
Key Points
• A trade job doesn’t require a college degree.
• Trade jobs typically require other types of qualifications or on-the-job experience.
• These jobs are often more secure than those in other industries, as they require specialized knowledge and skills.
• They can be more physically demanding or dangerous than other professions.
• There are many trade jobs available that pay above the average annual salary.
What Is a Trade Job?
A trade job is a profession that doesn’t require a college degree, but rather a specialized skill or skill set obtained through a trade school or on-the-job experience and training. Popular trade jobs include construction managers, technicians, dental hygienists, mechanics, commercial pilots, and real estate brokers.
Pros of a Skilled Trade Job
A skilled trade job can be an attractive career path for a couple of reasons:
Educational Requirements
Unlike careers that require a college degree — which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take four years to complete — trade jobs can often be obtained with less than two years of specialized education and at a fraction of the cost. Some trade jobs do not require any supplemental education at all, allowing trade workers to earn a living without being saddled by student loan debt.
Job Security
Many trade jobs are in high demand due to the specialized knowledge and skilled physical labor needed to perform them. They can also have a lower risk of outsourcing or automation because they require a human to be physically present.
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Cons of a Skilled Trade Job
On the other hand, there are downsides to some trade jobs, including:
Physical Demands
Trade jobs involving physical labor, such as construction workers and mechanics, can take a toll over the course of a long career.
Potential Dangers
Certain trade jobs have high injury and mortality rates, particularly those involving the operation of heavy machinery or working in hazardous environments.
25 Trade Jobs That Make the Most Money
Despite the conventional wisdom that a bachelor’s or master’s degree is required to earn a good salary, trade jobs can pay very well. In fact, some of the highest-paying jobs in certain states are skilled trades.
Here are 25 of the highest-paying trade jobs in the last several years, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
1. Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $102,010
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, 5+ years of work experience
• Job Description: Supervise and coordinate the transportation, storage, testing, and shipping of materials or products in accordance with government regulations.
• Duties:
◦ Supervising workers involved in receiving or shipping
◦ Inspecting warehouse and equipment safety
◦ Analyzing logistics and collaborating with other departments
2. Elevator/Escalator Installers and Repairer
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $106,580
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, apprenticeship, license (most states)
• Job Description: Assemble, install, maintain, and fix elevators, escalators, chairlifts and other moving walkways and equipment. In addition to understanding the mechanics and components of each system, they are typically involved in the physical repair or replacement of parts, as well as testing equipment to ensure it meets specifications.
• Duties:
◦ Assembling elevators, escalators, and similar units
◦ Conducting preventative maintenance and inspections
◦ Maintaining service records
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3. Nuclear Power Reactor Operator
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $120,350
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, long-term on-the-job training, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission license
• Job Description: Control and maintain the systems that generate and distribute power to businesses, homes, or factories. This can include monitoring and adjusting control rods to moderate the amount of electricity a plant generates, controlling cooling systems, and implementing safety procedures.
• Duties:
◦ Monitoring voltage and electricity grids
◦ Adjusting control rods and electricity output
◦ Recording systems data
4. Radiation Therapist
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $98,300
• Requirements: Associate degree (preferred) or certificate, state and national license
• Job Description: Administer radiation therapy to patients with cancer.
• Duties:
◦ Explaining treatment plans to patients
◦ Calibrating and operating radiation machinery
◦ Monitoring patients and keeping records of treatment
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5. Subway and Streetcar Operator
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $84,270
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, moderate on-the-job training, local transit training program (varies by location)
• Job Description: Operate subways and aboveground street cars, ensuring passengers safely move from one location to another.
• Duties:
◦ Operating train controls
◦ Making announcements and providing verbal directions to passengers
◦ Ensuring passenger safety
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6. Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $97,020
• Requirements: Associate degree from an accredited nuclear medicine technology program, state license, long-term on-the-job training
• Job Description: Prepare and administer radioactive drugs for imaging or treatment, typically within hospitals, medical labs, and care centers.
• Duties:
◦ Explaining medical procedures to patients
◦ Preparing and administering drugs
◦ Maintaining and operating imaging equipment
7. Gas Plant Operator
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $82,560
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, long-term on-the-job training
• Job Description: Oversee the day-to-day operations of industrial power plants used by utilities, oil and gas, and manufacturing companies.
• Duties:
◦ Maintaining equipment and machinery
◦ Ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards
◦ Supervising employees and contractors at the plant
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8. Dental Hygienist
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $94,260
• Education Requirements: Associate degree, state license
• Job Description: Examine patients for oral diseases and provide preventative care and education about oral hygiene.
• Duties:
◦ Taking dental x-rays
◦ Assisting dentists in providing teeth cleaning and plaque removal
◦ Educating patients about oral hygiene techniques
9. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $89,340
• Requirements: Associate degree, state license or certification (some states)
• Job Description: Operate sonographs to produce images of the inside of a body to assess and diagnose medical conditions.
• Duties:
◦ Prepping and administering sonograph exams
◦ Reviewing images and test results for quality
◦ Analyzing diagnostic information and providing summaries for physicians
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10. Electrical Line Installer and Repairer
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $92,560
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, long-term on-the-job training
• Job Description: Install and repair cables or wires used in electrical power systems and telecommunications systems.
• Duties:
◦ Installing, inspecting, and testing power lines and equipment
◦ Identifying defective devices, transformers, and switches
◦ Installing power lines between buildings and structures
11. Construction Manager
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $106,980
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, 5+ years of experience
• Job Description: Supervise and coordinate the activities of construction workers.
• Duties:
◦ Overseeing construction projects
◦ Scheduling and supervising on-site contractors
◦ Preparing and monitoring budgets
12. Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanic and Technician
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $79,140
• Requirements: Certificate from a Federal Aviation Administration-approved program
• Job Description: Repair and perform maintenance on aircraft.
• Duties:
◦ Diagnosing mechanical and electrical issues
◦ Repairing aircraft components
◦ Testing aircraft parts with diagnostic equipment
13. Boilermaker
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $73,340
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, apprenticeship
• Job Description: Assemble, maintain, and repair boilers, vats, and other containers used to hold liquids and gas.
• Duties:
◦ Reading blueprints to determine where to position boiler parts
◦ Assembling boiler tankers using welding machines
◦ Cleaning boiling vats and replacing broken valves and pipes
14. Wellhead Pumper
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $71,830
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, moderate on-the-job training
• Job Description: Operate power pumps and equipment used to extract oil or gas from an oil field well.
• Duties:
◦ Assembling pumps and attaching hoses to wellheads
◦ Operating pumps and monitoring flow
◦ Transferring oil to storage tanks or trucks
15. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $77,180
• Requirements: Associate degree (preferred), certificate from accredited program
• Job Description: Assist electrical engineers with the design and development of communications equipment, computers, medical devices, and other electrical equipment.
• Duties:
◦ Designing and assembling electrical systems
◦ Observing onsite systems placement and performance
◦ Performing quality control and identifying issues
16. Real Estate Broker and Sales Agent
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $58,960
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, licensing exam
• Job Description: Help clients buy, sell, or rent their properties.
• Duties:
◦ Generating lists of properties for sale or rent and showing them to clients
◦ Advising clients on prices, mortgages, and market conditions
◦ Facilitating buyer/seller negotiations and final purchase or rental agreements
17. Respiratory Therapist
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $80,450
• Requirements: Associate degree
• Job Description: Provide care for patients with respiratory issues.
• Duties:
◦ Examining patients and recording symptoms and conditions
◦ Consulting with physicians on treatment
◦ Performing diagnostic tests
18. Construction and Building Inspector
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $72,120
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
• Job Description: Review building plans to ensure construction meets local and national regulations and ordinances.
• Duties:
◦ Monitoring construction to ensure compliance
◦ Inspecting electrical and plumbing systems to ensure they are up to code
◦ Issuing violations for noncompliant work
19. Millwright
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $62,980
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
• Job Description: Install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.
• Duties:
◦ Repairing and replacing malfunctioning equipment
◦ Cleaning, adjusting, and calibrating new machinery
◦ Moving machinery and equipment
20. Electrician
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $62,350
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, apprenticeship, license (most states)
• Job Description: Install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems.
• Duties:
◦ Identifying and repairing electrical problems
◦ Installing wiring and equipment for electrical systems
◦ Ensuring compliance with national and local codes
21. Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $62,970
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, apprenticeship
• Job Description: Install and repair gas and water piping systems in homes, factories, and businesses.
• Duties:
◦ Identifying and repairing plumbing problems
◦ Installing pipes and plumbing fixtures
◦ Cleaning drains, removing obstructions, and repairing or replacing broken pipes and fixtures
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22. Mining Roof Bolter
• 2023 Median Annual Salary: $66,660
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, moderate on-the-job training
• Job Description: Operate machinery to install roof supporting bolts in underground mines.
• Duties:
◦ Drilling bolt holes into roofs
◦ Performing safety checks on bolting equipment
◦ Extracting loose rock from bolting supports
23. Broadcast, Sound, and Video Technician
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $56,600
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, moderate on-the-job training
• Job Description: Operate and maintain electrical equipment used for television broadcasts, radio programs, live concerts, and films.
• Duties:
◦ Setting up and operating equipment
◦ Monitoring and adjusting audio and video quality
◦ Repairing equipment and fixing recording issues
24. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $59,810
• Requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award, lengthy on-the-job training
• Job Description: Install and perform maintenance on heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) systems for buildings and private residences.
• Duties:
◦ Installing, testing, and repairing HVACR systems
◦ Replacing and repairing defective parts
◦ Conducting overall system maintenance and performance improvements
25. Masonry Worker
• 2024 Median Annual Salary: $56,600
• Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, apprenticeship or on-the-job training
• Job Description: Use bricks, concrete, and natural and manmade stones to build structures, walls, and walkways.
• Duties:
◦ Designing blueprints and calculating materials needed
◦ Breaking and resizing materials into the required shape
◦ Aligning, constructing, and polishing finished structures
The Takeaway
Many trade jobs offer competitive pay and job security, without a significant upfront educational cost. Moreover, they provide an opportunity to make a difference by solving real-world problems. Choosing the right career path is an important step toward achieving your financial goals. It’s just as important to practice smart financial habits, such as setting spending limits, staying on top of your credit score, and establishing long-term goals.
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FAQ
What is a trade job?
A trade job does not require a college degree, but it may require other qualifications or on-the-job training.
What are the pros and cons of a trade job?
The benefits of a trade job may include a higher level of job security and not needing to have a college degree. However, trade jobs can be more physically demanding and dangerous than other professions.
What skilled trades are in demand?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, wind turbine service technicians, solar photovoltaic installers, and physical therapist assistants are expected to experience the greatest job growth over the next ten years.
What are some of the best trades to learn that pay well?
Transportation managers, elevator installers, nuclear power reactor operators, and radiation therapists all earn a median salary above $80,000.
What are high-paying trade jobs that require no degree?
HVACR technicians, real estate agents, subway operators, and plumbers all pay above-average salaries and require no formal degree.
Photo credit: iStock/dima_sidelnikov
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