Trade Salaries vs. Jobs With Degrees

Who says you need to go to university to make the big bucks? In some cases, you might actually be better off switching your graduation cap for a hard hat, and getting yourself into a trade apprenticeship if you want to earn a good salary.

While apprentice wages might not be anything to boast about, once you’ve become qualified in your trade you could be raking in quite a bit of dosh. It’s a common misconception that you need a university degree to get a high paying job, but you may be surprised how well blue-collar work can pay, especially when you compare them to jobs with more supposed “prestige”. Here are some comparisons that might make you re-think what you know about trade salaries:

Carpenter vs. Journalist

Journalist median salary: $49,579
Carpenter median salary: $51,285

Carpentry is one of the oldest professions there is, while journalism is becoming more and more popular. Most journalists have to complete a degree in communications before they can break into the industry, while most carpenters go through an apprenticeship, or are self-taught. The average earning for Aussie journalists sits somewhere between $36,000 and $74,000, while carpenters can expect to earn anywhere between $39,000 and $85,000.

Marketing Executive vs. Boilermaker

Marketing Executive median salary: $59,111
Boilermaker median salary: $67,337

Marketing executives work to create advertisements to promote a product or service. Marketing is a very competitive industry to break into, usually requiring a degree of its employees, and will see marketing executives earning between $46,000 and $78,000 a year. Boilermaking is a branch of engineering that involves fabricating and repairing metal structures, usually boilers. To become a boilermaker, you usually need to have completed an apprenticeship. A qualified boilermaker can earn a salary between $41,000 and $94,000, and the median salary of a boilermaker is significantly higher than that of a marketing executive.

Accountant vs. Electrician

Accountant median salary: $54,492
Electrician median salary: $60,885

Accounting is something you might expect would rake in quite a bit of coin, but when compared to the rate of an electrician, it ain’t all that special. Most accountants get degrees in business or financing before landing a job, and are expected to earn between $39,000 and $82,000. Electricians need to complete an apprenticeship to earn their qualification, and then they can expect to see an annual income of between $41,000 and $94,000. 

You get the deal, right? University degrees don’t always equate to big earnings, and trade jobs might have a higher income than you’d expect. If you’re still not convinced, here’s further proof that the trade route could be the one that’s right for you:

Salary estimates according to payscale.com.