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grades-wise, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least consider
a job in the trades. Who knows? A trades career might engage
your interests or mesh with your skills better than something like
pursuing a law degree. Myths like this one mostly exist to put
people in boxes based on societal expectations, but those expec-
tations might not actually align with what makes the most sense
for you and your career path. Feel free to find that path on your own
terms!
Myth 2
The trades don’t pay as well as other jobs
In part because some jobs in the skilled trades do not require a
college degree, there is a common misconception that the trades
don’t pay as well as other jobs. This myth doesn’t even necessarily
exist only in relation to the trades: in the United States, especially,
there is a widely held belief that one must earn a college degree in
order to get a high-paying job. Jobs that only require a high school
degree—even if they also demand trade school, certification, or
other additional post-high school learning, as many trades careers
do—are often assumed to pay less.
In reality, many jobs in the skilled trades pay extremely well, even
for the entry-level jobs in the field. Electricians in the United States
earn an average of more than $61,000 a year, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Electrical line workers make an average
of $85,420. These are good living wages that are often paired
with competitive benefits, given the fact that most segments of
the trades have more jobs than workers to fill them. As employers
compete for skilled trades workers in the years to come, average
salaries may only rise.
Other perks may be growing as well. For instance, many employers
in the electrical trades now offer signing bonuses to new hires as
well as referral bonuses for existing employees who can help find
good candidates. These opportunities don’t exist in every career