The High Salaries Of These Blue-Collar Jobs May Surprise You

Coined in the early 1900s, the term "blue-collar" alludes to the blue denim uniforms of manual laborers of the time. Traditionally, blue-collar workers share some common traits in terms of where they work, how they're paid, and the educational requirements to do their job; this usually meant hourly shift work, the opportunity to work overtime, and educational prerequisites that lean more toward certifications, trade/vocational schools, and apprenticeships than four-year degrees. Further, in comparison to white-collar jobs, blue-collar careers in the U.S. have often been thought of as being underpaid for more physical labor.

Today, though, being a blue-collar worker doesn't necessarily mean making low wages, so long as you've chosen the right blue-collar career path. With benefits like unionized workplaces, work that doesn't follow you home like a lawyer's or teacher's might, and several high-paying careers that don't require a college degree, blue-collar work may be worth looking into if the walls at your office job feel like they're closing in on you. Further, while not every job is eligible for overtime pay in the United States, know that a blue-collar job is, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Power plant operator is a blue-collar job where the threshold to entry is a GED or a high school diploma, with exams and assessments to follow. New operators learn by taking classes, as well as through on-the-job apprenticeships. As the person responsible for the electricity distribution of entire regions, the pressures can be immense, and although the responsibilities are well-compensated, you should also expect screenings for drugs and alcohol, plus criminal background checks to assess competency and aptitude for the job.

Even while on a decline in terms of employment, the industry is still expected to grow by 3,800 positions every year up to 2033, with retirees opening the door for newbie power plant operators ready to take on a standard eight- to 12-hour workday. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for power plant operators in the United States is $97,010, or $46.64 per hour. The top-percentile earners in this industry average $123,120 annually, or $59.19 per hour.

The states where you'll earn the most working this blue-collar job are New Jersey, Hawaii, New York, Delaware, and Washington. However, with the forecasted decline in employment (-8% from 2023 to 2033), you may want to look at a state with both high pay and high rate of employment. That's New York with 1,630 jobs and an annual mean wage of $108,590.

Anytime you get on an elevator or escalator, keep in mind there's a technician who installed it and maintains it. The installation and repair of elevators and escalators require work in sometimes tight crawl spaces, shafts, and mechanical rooms with the need to be available for emergency situations after-hours.

To become an installation and repair professional doesn't require more than a high school diploma and on-the-job training, although all workers in this field are required to be licensed to work in their state. Over the next decade, the profession is expected to grow quicker than the average rate of most other professions, with 2,200 positions opening up each year between 2023 and 2033, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Per the statistics bureau, the median annual wage for these technicians is $102,420, or $49.24 per hour, with the top 10% earning $138,910 per year, or $66.79 per hour. The highest-paying states for the professions are New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Nevada.

One particularly high-stress blue-collar occupation is that of an air traffic controller. These are the people airline pilots rely on to keep the runway and airfield clear for takeoff and landing without a hitch. Bottom line, if an air traffic controller makes a mistake, there are serious consequences up to loss of life that can occur. As such, it makes sense that specialization through associate or bachelor's degrees from the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program and training with the FAA are educational requirements of the job.

Physicals, criminal background checks, and U.S. citizenship are also prerequisites of this career. Further, like pilots (here's how much airline pilots get paid), hours for air traffic controllers are far from static, as they must be on whenever flights take off and land, which is around the clock and year-round. What's more, air traffic controllers develop a great many transferable skills, including strong communication, decision-making, problem-solving, being detail-oriented, and teamwork.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth over the 10 years between 2023 and 2033 for this high-paying blue-collar job is 3%, which is on par with the average for all U.S. occupations. The median annual wage for air traffic controllers is $137,380, or $65.77 per hour. Air traffic controllers in the top 10% earn $200,990 per year, while those in the 90th percentile earn just over $76,000.