GraduateSmart
GraduateSmart
No 4-year degree required — and that's a feature, not a fallback
Skilled trades typically start earning $45-75K straight out of high school with little or no debt. Many trades earn more than the median college grad by age 30. Look for paid apprenticeships (IBEW for electricians, UA for plumbers/pipefitters, local trade unions) — you earn while you learn instead of paying tuition.
$57K/yr
Average Salary
0.5 years
Years of Education
+2%
Job Growth
457K+
Total Jobs
Join metal parts using heat to build and repair structures, machinery, and other objects.
$39K
Starting
$57K
Average
$76K
Senior
High School Diploma or GED
Foundation requirement for all pathways
Trade / Vocational Program
6–18 months of hands-on technical training
Apprenticeship or License
State licensing exam required for most trade careers
Start your career
Entry-level positions and internships
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Field
Trades & Skilled Labor
Required Degree
Certificate
Time in School
0.5 years
Job Demand
10-Year Job Growth
+2%
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Create free account →Federal labor-market data for Welder
Pay range
$39K–$76K
10th–90th percentile
Job growth
+2%
projected 2024–2034
Number of jobs
457K
in 2024
Slower than average
Below-average demand growth expected. Projected to grow from 457K to 466K jobs by 2034.
Typical duties
Read the full duties, work environment, and education requirements on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Open BLS page →
BLS 'Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers' (51-4121). Median $51,000; 2% growth. 457,300 jobs.