When it comes earning a 6 figure salary many people think that a college degree is the only way to secure a high-paying job. However, that’s not entirely true. In this blog post, we’ll explore six skilled trades that can pay over $100,000 annually.
Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical systems in homes, businesses, and industrial settings. They work with wires, circuit breakers, transformers, and other electrical components to ensure that everything is functioning properly. Before I went to the military I really wanted to be an electrician. Electricians is just the person everyone always needs so its kind of a no brainer career pathway. You will easily earn over 6 figures after about 6 or 7 years in trade with a 01 or 02 license.
Plumbers install and repair plumbing systems in homes, businesses, and industrial settings. They work with pipes, fixtures, and other plumbing components to ensure that water is flowing smoothly. Plumbing can be a somewhat difficult career to break into. Not many places offer training and most plumbing companies suffer from high levels of nepotism. However, as the baby boomers retire we are seeing more companies open up and more educational opportunities become available for this high paying career.
HVAC technicians install and repair heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in homes, businesses, and industrial settings. They work with furnaces, air conditioners, ducts, and other HVAC components to ensure that the temperature and air quality are comfortable. This career path is often overlooked but has great pay for those willing to get certified. In the state of Washington most entry level HVAC techs make a minimum of 65k annually and journeymen can make over 150k depending on who they work for.
Welders join metal parts together using heat and electricity. They work with a variety of metals, such as steel, aluminum, and copper, to create structures and products. To become a entry level welder you should expect to attend at least 3 to 18 months of training. While structural welding is still the lion share of welding jobs there is an emergent career path for robotic welding as well. Robotic welding is normally taught as a part of manufacturing curriculums at some colleges you will need to do your research to find the right training opportunity for you.
Carpenters build and install structures made of wood, such as buildings, furniture, and cabinets. They work with saws, hammers, nails, and other tools to create functional and aesthetically pleasing structures. With the invent of AI there is a lot of talk about which jobs are going to be going away in the near future. But trust and believe carpentry is not one of them! A good carpenter will always have work because houses and building will never be able to fix themselves.
Heavy equipment operators use machines such as bulldozers, cranes, and excavators to move earth and other materials. They work on construction sites, mines, and other outdoor locations to complete various projects. Back in the day this was a really tough job but now most heavy equipment has both heating and AC which makes the equipment operator the envy of everyone on the jobsite!
Conclusion
Trades require specialized skills, knowledge, and experience, but they don’t necessarily require a college degree. While the starting pay for these career pathways are not particularly high depending on the part of the country you live in. They all allow you to make as little or as much cash as you want too and can be easily transitioned into a small business.
Not interested in getting dirty? Here are 5 tech career paths that also earn over 6 figures!
