Hard Hat Hunter Tailgate: Blue Collar vs. White Collar
May 4, 2017 | Hard Hat Hunter Guest Blogger
Often when individuals are planning their future, one of their primary goals is to set themselves up for a job that makes good money so they can live comfortably and support themselves and their loved ones. It’s a fairly common assumption that certain white collar jobs that carry a big title earn big bucks, but is it true? We took a look at the median annual salary of 5 white collar jobs with respected titles and compared them to 5 blue collar jobs.
Accountant: $49,705
Marketing Executive: $50,983
Stock Broker: $53,000
Attorney: $74,401
Pharmacist: $80,972
Steamfitter: $72,047
Heavy Equipment Mechanic: $72,843
Powerline Technician: $80,942
Boilermaker: $97,500
Journeyman Lineman: $100,000
Average from 5 white collar jobs: $61,812.20
Average from 5 trades jobs: $84,666.40
Surprising, isn’t it? The white collar jobs listed require between 2-8 years of schooling to get into, while the blue collar jobs require apprenticeships which are typically 4 years long. One of the biggest differences being that the schooling for the white collar jobs require steep financial commitments and can often lead to acquiring debt that takes years to pay off while trades apprenticeships pay you to learn.
Demand for trades workers is high, with the main barrier to entry being that acquiring an apprenticeship can be difficult and is much easier if you know the right people. Hard Hat Hunter helps open doors by providing a way to network with companies and established workers, as well as showcase yourself and your work around the world.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts! What do you think about the whole Blue vs. White Collar wage difference, does any of this surprise you?
Born and raised in the north, Shawn moved south to attend Canadore College and has grown to love the area. With a passion for all things creative and a background in business and marketing, he enjoys creating content for Hard Hat Hunter.