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Trades & apprenticeships: get paid to learn
Here's the part nobody told us when we were 18: a registered apprenticeship flips the college equation. Instead of paying tuition for four years, your kid earns a wage from day one, graduates with zero debt, and steps into a field that's hiring. With hundreds of thousands of skilled trade jobs sitting unfilled, the leverage belongs to the people who show up trained.
The earn-while-you-learn math:a first year electrical apprentice typically starts between $14 and $22 an hour. Four to five years later they're a licensed journeyman earning a median of roughly $62,000, with top earners well past $100k. Total tuition paid along the way: close to zero.
Electrical
Median pay ~$62,350 · 9% growth, fastest of the major trades
The path: 4 to 5 year paid apprenticeship through an IBEW/JATC or independent program. Apprentices commonly start $14 to $22/hr.
Every data center, EV charger, and solar install needs one. The aptitude test rewards algebra, so brush up before applying.
How to start in Electrical››Plumbing & Pipefitting
Median pay ~$62,970 · top trade for median salary
The path: 4 to 5 year paid apprenticeship via United Association locals or PHCC. Earn from day one.
Recession resistant in a way few careers are. Union UA packages are among the best total compensation in the trades.
How to start in Plumbing & Pipefitting››HVAC
Entry median in the $50k range, rising with heat pump demand
The path: 6 to 12 month certificate at a community college, or a 3 to 5 year paid apprenticeship.
Electrification is pouring work into this field. The certificate route is one of the fastest paydays on this page.
How to start in HVAC››Welding
Median low $60ks · specialists reach $80k to $120k+
The path: Certificate programs run months, not years, at community colleges and technical schools.
The ceiling is higher than people think: pipeline, aerospace, and underwater specialists earn six figures. Travel often required at the top end.
How to start in Welding››Healthcare
CNA in 4 to 12 weeks · clear ladder to nursing
The path: CNA certificate in weeks, medical assistant in about a year, dental hygiene as a 2 year associate degree.
The fastest credential on this page and a proven first rung. Many CNAs ladder into nursing with employers paying the tuition.
How to start in Healthcare››Tech & IT
Registered tech apprenticeships growing fast nationwide
The path: Industry certifications in months, or earn-while-you-learn IT apprenticeships with major employers.
Yes, even in the age of AI: someone has to run the networks, the security, and the help desks. Certs plus an apprenticeship beats an unfocused CS degree for many kids.
How to start in Tech & IT››The official national directory of registered apprenticeships is apprenticeship.gov. Salary figures are national medians from federal labor data and vary meaningfully by state and city. Wondering whether a trade fits your kid's wiring? Take the gap year quiz or book a free call and we'll talk it through.