3 ms·

I'm not disagreeing with your encouragement towards the skilled trades, but please do be realistic with your information. Median salary is $40K. http://www.pay

• at-fates-hands 10y ago
  And with most places paying overtime, it's easy to push that up to the 70-80K range I was talking about. I should've been clearer in stating that.
  • mywittyname 10y ago
    http://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm http://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-... The median pay for a welder is $38,000 per year. Only 10% earn more than $60,000 a year. In other words, earning $70-80k "out of the gate" as you say, is rare. A person earning a median hourly income would need to work 3200 hours a year to make $70,000 (assuming 1.5x wage for all hours over 2000).
    • tunap 10y ago
      Roughnecks make $60-$80k in the oil industry. No idea what a welder makes, but I'm thinking it being a specialized skill, probably more. They often do work 70 hour weeks, as well. Not much else to do but work, drink or fight when far from home in a camp full of men. Throw "underwater" in front of welder and you're looking at a couple factors of 6 digits.