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by flubert 3563 days ago
>plumbers, electricians, mechanics, roofers, HVAC specialists, etc, are all the ones that are currently in huge demand.

...You might get a different picture of things if you hang out in some of the skill trades reddits:

https://www.reddit.com/r/SkilledTradesNetwork/wiki/community...

...fer instance: "Here's what 10$ an hour looks like! Had to put in my 2 weeks."

https://www.reddit.com/r/Welding/comments/52byky/heres_what_...

1 comments

>>...fer instance: "Here's what 10$ an hour looks like! Had to put in my 2 weeks."

And pretty much every reply is "I make way more than that, what are you thinking??"

I'd imagine the guy either doesn't know how to show up consistently and on-time, or has such a severe lack of social skills that he can't properly interview for a job. If you can weld like that and can't find a job making more than $10/hr you are doing something SERIOUSLY wrong.

> "I make way more than that, what are you thinking??"

Way more than that being $30/hour = $60K per year.

Which is $20k over the US household average.

Not arguing that we could consider it low, but providing more context.

IIRC just this week the US Census released a median household income of $56,000k. Even traditionally poor-performing demographics are well above $40,000/year at median.
The key word there is household. Most households are dual income. The $60K is an individuals salary.

Combine that in a household are you're getting close to $100K.

Sure--just pointing out that the assumption the average income is $40k just isn't there.
Just looked into this myself, and yeah, they quite literally just released some new figures.

I think the point still stands, but it's good to have more accurate data.

Which is the same as the peak career earnings for someone with a liberal arts bachelors degree that doesn't pursue graduate education.
> peak career earnings

I make much more than that and I only have an B.A. in English.

Congrats, you are the exception to the rule.
My point is that I am not exceptional and I know many others in the same boat.
Most of my neighbors are "blue collar" entrepreneurs who started in trade jobs and eventually founded their own construction, electrical, or plumbing contracting companies. Most of them make way more money than software developers. Well into the six-figure scale.
Yes, those who start a successful company make great money. Most don't.
60k a year is a good living in most of the US.
My parents retired from teaching making roughly that both with masters degree plus max credits. Either that's a good wage or we grossly underpay our "overpaid" teachers.
Are you implying $60k a year is poor?