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8 Trade Jobs Employers Can't Fill Fast Enough That Pay Over $60,000

These hands-on careers offer steady pay and a way to get trained on someone else's dime instead of your own.

By Chris Lewis, CEPF , Edited by Calista Headrick

Updated Sept. 12, 2026

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Skilled trades keep the lights on, the water running, and job sites moving, and that work does not stop just because fewer people are lining up to learn it. Employers are competing hard for anyone who can actually do it, which is why the way in still runs through a paid apprenticeship rather than four years of tuition. You earn while you train, and the credential you walk away with travels with you. It's a great way to help boost your bank account without adding a pile of student loan debt.

Editor's note: All salary data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), May 2025.

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Elevator and escalator installer and repairer

Median annual salary: $109,910

These workers read blueprints to plan layouts, assemble elevator cars, wire electrical systems, and troubleshoot problems in brakes, motors, switches, and control systems. They also dismantle units to swap out failing parts and run preventive maintenance and inspections to keep everything up to safety code.

Entry typically means completing a 4-year apprenticeship sponsored by a union, industry association, or employer, and most states require a license. Employment is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,900 openings a year.

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Electrician

Median annual salary: $63,190

Electricians install and maintain wiring, lighting, and control systems, inspect components such as transformers and circuit breakers, and track down faults with testing devices before repairing or replacing what is broken.

Most electricians learn through an apprenticeship, and most states require a license. Employment is projected to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 72,700 openings a year.

Plumber, pipefitter, and steamfitter

Median annual salary: $63,800

This trade covers installing and repairing the pipes and fixtures that keep water and gas systems running, and the work comes from both new construction and the constant upkeep of buildings that have been standing for decades.

Most people learn on the job through a 4- to 5-year apprenticeship, and most states and localities require plumbers to be licensed. Employment is projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year.

Sheet metal worker

Median annual salary: $61,800

Sheet metal workers fabricate and install products made from thin metal sheets, most commonly the ductwork used in heating and air conditioning systems. They select the metal, measure and mark dimensions, drill holes, and fasten seams by welding, bolting, riveting, or soldering.

Training happens through an apprenticeship, with no prior work experience in a related occupation required to start. Employment is projected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,800 openings a year.

Line installer and repairer

Median annual salary: $95,320

Electrical power-line installers and repairers install and repair the cables and wires that make up power and distribution systems. They erect poles and towers, string cable between them, climb or work from truck-mounted buckets, and test lines and equipment.

A high school diploma or equivalent gets you in the door, but proficiency takes technical instruction and on-the-job training, and apprenticeships are common. Employment is projected to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 10,900 openings a year.

Millwright

Median annual salary: $64,100

Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move heavy machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites. They replace worn or defective parts and often take entire machines apart to clear floor space for new equipment.

Most millwrights complete an apprenticeship that can run up to 4 years, and no prior related work experience is needed to begin one. Employment is projected to grow 14% from 2025 to 2035, with about 51,900 openings a year.

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Boilermaker

Median annual salary: $76,410

Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain, and repair boilers, closed vats, and other large vessels that hold liquids and gases. They read blueprints, lay out and assemble parts, and test and inspect systems for leaks or defects.

Most enter through a 4-year apprenticeship sponsored by a union or contractor association that covers tool use, metals, blueprint reading, and safety, and some states require a license. Employment is projected to change -2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 700 openings a year as experienced workers retire.

Construction and building inspector

Median annual salary: $74,690

Inspectors review building plans and monitor construction sites to check plumbing, electrical, and structural systems against code, using survey and testing equipment, then document findings and issue violation notices or stop-work orders when something is wrong.

Entry usually calls for a high school diploma or equivalent plus work experience in a construction trade, and many states and localities require a license or certification. Employment is projected to hold flat at 0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,800 openings a year.

Bottom line

The common thread here is steady pay, employers who need more hands than they can find, and an entry path that does not start with a tuition bill. Put in the apprenticeship years, get licensed where your state requires it, and you have a trade that holds its value for a long career to help grow your wealth.

If one of these sounds like your kind of work, look up the apprenticeship program or licensing board for that trade in your state and find out exactly what it takes to start.

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