10 Highest Paying Trade School Jobs in America

Which are the highest paying trade school jobs in America?

Trade schools are alternative education that teach a specific technical skill rather than a college where students are taught a wide variety of subjects while concentrating in one. I have plenty of friends who opted for a trade school after high school because they knew exactly what they wanted to do and it was much more cost-effective to jump right into the field and learn what they actually want to do. As someone who pretty much exclusively writes, I really didn’t have too much of an option, but I think trade schools sound extremely pragmatic and useful, especially considering education as an institution is inherently flawed and not well-suited for everyone.

After taking a look at the Best Vocational Careers for the Future and determining the jobs that have longevity for the long run, we thought it’d be interesting to take a look at what jobs pay the most. It’d be interesting to see if the two lists overlap at all. You’ll be surprised to see that you can still make a healthy salary without going through a university education system and receiving a degree. Completing trade school is an equally important accomplishment and can still get you far.

In order to find the highest paying jobs, we looked for reputable sources that featured skilled trade jobs. The data was derived mostly from Forbes and Trade Schools. We took jobs that appeared on both lists, like a cross-reference, and used the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to rank them based on their annual median salary. Obviously, the jobs with the highest salary are at the top of the list when figuring the ranks. These jobs are occupations requiring no formal education and only skills learned from trade schools and apprenticeships and are also known as manual labor jobs.

Without further ado, let’s check out the highest paying trade school jobs in America.

10. Crane operator

Annual median salary: $49,430

Crane operators drive, maneuver, and operate cranes as well as other heavy equipment. It’s a tedious and dangerous job and workers generally work on construction sites. The demand is said to be stable in years to come.

9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Annual median salary: $50,620

These three work hand-in-hand and are responsible for the installation and repair of pipes that carry liquids and gasses. They’re generally employed by factories, buildings, and they’re also on-call for homes. Most states require a special license for this job.

8. Wind turbine technician

Annual median salary: $51,050

Wind turbine technicians are also often referred to as wind techs and they’re responsible for repairing and installing wind turbines. They generally work outdoors. It has a high projected growth rate of 104%, which means not only does it pay well, it’s stable.

7. Electricians

Annual median salary: $51,880

Electricians are probably one of the busiest of all the trade school jobs, as they tend to work irregular hours and on-call. They install electric power, repair communication lines, and maintain lighting.

6. Oil and gas rotary drill operators

Annual median salary: $54,310

Oil and gas rotary drill operators set up and operate various drills to extract oil and gas from the ground. They generally work as support for mining, petroleum manufacturing, and construction. It’s quite a tedious job and can be very risky in mining situations.

5. Piledriver operators

Annual median salary: $55,150

Piledriver operators operate piledrivers mounted on barges and responsible for maneuvering them to be used in structure foundation for buildings. They generally work on construction sites with civil engineers and other construction personnel. With an annual medial salary of $55,150 piledriver pperators take the fifth place on this list of highest paying trade school jobs in America. Not bad at all!

4. Aircraft mechanics

Annual median salary: $58,370

Aircraft mechanics work with avionics technicians to do repairs, replacements, and even tests for aircraft parts to ensure safety. They also handle inspections of completed work to make sure standards are met and do exams to detect errors. Aircraft mechanics should have agility, dexterity, and a keen attention to detail, as well as the proper licenses and education.

3. Avionics technicians

Annual median salary: $58,540

We are continuing our list of highest paying trade school jobs in America with avionics technicians that are tasked with the installation, repair, and inspection of avionics equipment. They generally handle radars, navigations, and missile control systems. It requires high precision and mechanical skills.

2. Boilermakers

Annual median salary: $60,120

Boilermakers are responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of boilers and other liquid and gas-containing vessels. They assemble boiler tanks, inspect for leaks, and clean using solvents.

1. Construction managers

Annual median salary: $87,400

Construction managers plan and coordinate construction projects. They do the budgeting and supervising from start to finish. While they can work in an office, most also work on-site to watch over the work. The job growth is about 5%, which is on average for most jobs in the US, so you know it’ll be quite stable for years to come.

Trade schools, as evidenced by this list, offer a quality education that leads to a well-paid career path. If you want to try out something new, take your pick from one of these highest paying trade school jobs in America.