24/7 Wall St. Insights:

• Professions like electricians, wind turbine technicians, and LPNs can earn between $50,ooo and $75,000 each year, with some roles offering even higher wages.
• Trade school and apprenticeship programs typically cost much less than your typical four-year degree.
• Also, read “The Next NVIDIA.”

Trade professionals can offer lucrative opportunities for those who prefer hands-on work over traditional, degree-driven jobs. In this article, we’ll review which professions are the most lucrative.

We used real-time data from websites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter to provide the most accurate salary data. 

Why We’re Covering This

Trade job salaries are on the rise, especially jobs that don’t require a college degree. Many people are trading their office shoes for boots, especially as demand across the country rises. As a finance website, it only makes sense for us to cover these rising salaries. 

12. Licensed Practical Nurse

• Average Salary: $51,089
• Required Education: Nondegree award

These nurses are different from registered nurses, which require more education. LPNs can work in the same jobs that registered nurses do, but they typically focus on less-skilled tasks like updating patient charts. 

11. Electrician

• Average Salary: $53,980
• Required Education: High school degree

Electricians install and fix electrical systems in businesses and factories. They also need good customer service skills, as many electricians run their own businesses.

10. Respiratory Therapist

• Average Salary: $58,697
• Required Education: Associate degree

Respiratory therapists focus on helping patients who have difficulty breathing. They might assess a patient’s respiratory needs or connect patients to ventilators. 

9. Aircraft Mechanic

• Average Salary: $60,267
• Required Education: Associate degree

Aircraft mechanics work on all sorts of flying vehicles, including helicopters and airplanes. They’ll inspect aircraft systems, clean them, and fill out maintenance reports. 

8. Solar Installer

• Average Salary: $62,622
• Required Education: High school degree

Solar installers specialize in installing solar panels, whether commercial solar panels or residential models. They may also maintain large fields of solar panels. 

7. Industrial Mechanic

• Average Salary: $63,295
• Required Education: Postsecondary award

Industrial mechanics work on industrial equipment. They help ensure that factories operate effectively and perform repairs as needed. 

6. Real Estate Appraiser

• Average Salary: $63,355
• Required Education: High school degree

Real estate appraisers make a surprisingly high amount of money. They estimate the value of buildings and land, visit sites, and compare them to similar properties.  

5. Wind Turbine Technician

• Average salary: $68,523
• Required Education: Associate degree

Wind turbine technicians do exactly what you’d guess: install and maintain wind turbines. They may do everything from replacing broken parts to providing routine inspections on wind turbines. 

4. Cable Technician

• Average Salary: $70,714
• Required Education: Postsecondary award

Cable technicians work on cable lines. Cable installers must install cables and quickly respond to troubleshooting issues.

3. Ultrasonographer

• Average Salary: $71,570
• Required Education: Associate degree

Ultrasonographers use an ultrasound transducer to take specialized imaging of inside the human body, such as of the heart, blood vessels, and joints. 

2. Dental Hygienist

• Average Salary: $74,321
• Required Education: Associate degree

Dental hygienists focus on preventative dental care, largely by cleaning teeth. They may also educate customers on proper brushing and flossing. 

1. Construction Manager

• Average Salary: $84,874
• Required Education: Bachelor’s degree

Construction managers mostly assess building materials needed for a project based on plans designed by architects and engineers and then purchase the needed materials. 

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