by Tisa Silver
Who says hard work doesn't pay? These 10 blue-collar jobs show that the color of your collar doesn't necessarily dictate the level of your income.
What Does it Mean to be a Blue-Collar Worker?
Blue-collar jobs are typically classified as involving manual labor and compensation by an hourly wage. Some fields that fall into this category include construction, manufacturing, maintenance and mining.
What it Does Not Mean
Do not mistake blue-collar jobs for easy to land, easy to keep or low-paying ones. Although some blue-collar jobs do not require a four-year degree, many of them require additional education by way of specialized training, a certification or an apprenticeship.
There are several blue-collar jobs that offer competitive packages, relative to their white-collar counterparts.
Elevator installers and repairers sit atop the list with an average hourly wage of $42.08. This hands-on occupation involves many tasks, including assembly, testing, maintenance and repair of elevators, escalators and moving sidewalks. On average, an elevator installer or repairer can bring in over $87,000 dollars per year.
Ship and boat captains and operators earn an average of $24.86 per hour for navigating their vessels through a variety of waterways. On average, a captain or operator brings in almost $58,000 each year, but these captains have to work a bit harder for the money -- the average work week is 51.8 hours.
The pressure is on, literally, for gas plant operators who control compressors to keep gas flowing through pipelines. This essential job pays workers just under $64,000 or approximately $30.71 on an hourly basis.
There are several specialties within the electrical and electronic repair industry. The most lucrative area involves inspecting and repairing electrical equipment at generating stations, substations and in-service relays. These workers bring in an average salary of $68,000 per year.
The Top 10 List
1. Elevator Installer and Repairer
Average salary: $87,518
Average hourly wage: $42.08
Average work week: 40 hours
2. Electrical and Electronics Repairer – Powerhouse, Substation and Relay
Average salary: $68,084
Average hourly wage: $32.75
Average work week: 40 hours
3. Power Plant Operator, Distributor and Dispatcher
Average salary: $65,846
Average hourly wage: $31.50
Average work week: 40 hours
4. Gas Plant Operator
Average salary:Average salary: $63,872
Average hourly wage: $30.71
Average work week: 40 hours
5. Locomotive Engineer
Average salary: $63,125
Average hourly wage: $28.27
Average work week: 42.5 hours
6. Electrical Power Line Installer and Repairer
Average salary: $60,354
Average hourly wage: $29.02
Average work week: 40 hours
7. Structural Iron and Steel Worker
Average salary: $59,224
Average hourly wage: $28.55
Average work week: 39.9 hours
8. Construction and Building Inspector
Average salary: $59,144
Average hourly wage: $28.31
Average work week: 40.2 hours
9. Ship and Boat Captain and Operator
Average salary: $57,910
Average hourly wage: $24.86
Average work week: 51.8 hours
10. Radio and Telecommunications Equipment Installer
Average salary: $57,149
Average hourly wage: $27.48
Average work week: 39.9 hours
About the List
The jobs are ranked by annual salary, from highest to lowest, excluding overtime. The data was pulled from the National Compensation Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008, which is published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Next: Top 10 Blue-Collar Jobs of the Future >>
Oct 27th 2009 @ 3:16PM CRK
I find it hard to imagine any one actually getting a job at most of the job headings listed.
These are not entry level positions of course.
Many take years to gain the experience or education needed to meet the state testing or certification requirements and few actually start at this pay level.
Most positions are filled from within a company, municipalities or with cheap and poorly educated or trained labor.
I know, I'm a 30 yr. highly skilled commercial refrigeration tech. with more certifications then college graduates.
My previously earning over $50,000 a year and have been unemployed for nearly a year now.
Why, because it's cheaper to hire poorly skilled individuals for $10 to $15 an hour and cheat customers when services are not performed properly or by short cuts with overcharging to cover costly mistakes when call backs are inevitable.
"Profit" is not a 4 letter word in any industry or service, but "quality" usually is.
In these times you don't always get what you paid for and you will certainly not get what your worth with 10% unemployment.
Reply
Nov 4th 2009 @ 12:30AM Sara
I agree, most jobs the news and these places all talk about, are not jobs us ordinary hard working, uneducated people can get. I drove Greyhound Bus for 20 years and was let go. Most of us who have done this kind of work, doing all the heavy lifting, long hours of sitting, leaves most of us with medical conditions, so where are the jobs for us? We still have to pay bills and eat like everyone else!
Oct 28th 2009 @ 3:32PM larry
if i was you i would open up my own hvac bussiness and deliver safe ,reliable service to my customers so all of them COmpanies hiring unprofesionals because they can pay them peanuts would fall on their faces with dismay and jealousy!i mean this as a compliment and not trying to belittle you.good luck.
Oct 28th 2009 @ 11:23PM John
I completely agree. I am an electrician with 20 years under my bealt. I was laid off last year from my company and have not found any work since. I apply at companies who say they are hiring but when I say the pay rate I want...well I'm sure you know what happens next. The past 5 years I have seen some of the worst,unprofesional work ever. Thats due to the fact that companies are hiring unskilled labor, not doing the backgroud checks that they should be doing and hiring immagrant workers to do the job at 50% less then they would have to pay me. I trully hope that oneday our country will wake up and see what is happening. Maybe when one of the houses or buildings these so called skilled workers build falls in on them or goes up in flames they will understand.
Oct 28th 2009 @ 7:39PM ron
I know the feeling 30yrs. in sheet metal tradejust got release.Iam trying to start a buiness but lack service.Need service man in cape cod with good experiance.
Oct 28th 2009 @ 7:36PM Gray
Your worth what the market is willing to pay.Its called free enterprise.
Oct 27th 2009 @ 3:40PM Kramer
Hey CRK, You hit the nail on the head! I have been in the manufacturing and facilities manufacturing for years. Very educated when it comes to processes and programing. Companies today are not looking for skilled labor, they are looking for the cheapest labor out there. Example: My old boss was at a company for 34 years. He was in charge of Production, and was very good at what he did. Since his salary was just over 100k a year, the company decided to cut him. They replaced him with a person making less than 45K. Today most of the jobs out there say must be bi-lingual for the job. WTF, do we not live in the U.S.A. ? I do not have anything against Obama, but the reports about creating new jobs is B.S. These jobs are $10 an hour positions. Who in the hell can live on that much a week. I was making more than that back in 1977. Inflation has more than quadruilded since then. A family of 4 with a mortgage of $1200 per month can not afford to live. These companies out here take the jobs to Mexico, China, and Taiwan for their own profits. The CEO'S pocket the money off of hard working Americans. Then everyone wonders why some guy goes nuts and kills coworkers or go postal. The rich get richer and the poor get screwed!
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 8:30PM muffinfluffer
"very educated" comes up with a word "quadruilded". wonder where he got his marvelous education? in his ass?
Oct 29th 2009 @ 3:52PM adam
i live very well on $10.15 per hour, i have a nive 67 bonnevile, a decent 68 catalina, and a 71 riviera, along with 3 newer cars, and a pick-up. a 1900 square foot home, all in a community where i dont have to worry about theft, drugs, or gangs. and i have to commute a whopping 6 blocks to my job. its all about living within your means, and 95% of american workers dont know how to do that. i grew up with 3 brothers and 1 sister, and we were poor as dirt. it can be done, but you have to adjust your lifestyle!!!!!!!!!!
Oct 29th 2009 @ 4:32AM Dawn
Most of our most intelligent american workers have a bit of a tough time spelling certain words.But I bet he can work rings around your small pea brain.
Oct 29th 2009 @ 12:45AM PN
Behind the scenes people such as elevator operators make more than the up front type jobs. The fixing, repairing engineering and operating type jobs where your hands can get dirty make more when you look at it than the spotlight type jobs.
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 2:10PM rw
Elevator repairers? They promise you the elevator...but they give you the shaft!!!
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 2:38PM DAAikins
Being a electronic systems tech for many years I have yet to make the wages mentioned in this article. I have the Associates degree in electronic systems as well as two years in college electrical engineering along with all of the experienced with the systems I have installed,serviced,programmed and maintained.
Now having been laid off during this economic disaster I have not been able to even find a new position in the field. So I must ask what makes the new graduates think that they will find jobs in this field????
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 4:01PM R Johnson
What happened to pipefitters....Thier pay rate in the tri state area is well over $40.00/ hr I was one for over thirty years, and with OT made over $100 large for the last 15 years that I worked.
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 5:08PM John
Are you R. Johnson from Able?
Oct 28th 2009 @ 8:39PM bill janssen
retired auto worker made 25.00 phrnow if you get a job it pays 14.55 phr no benfetisi bet, wants to break the uaw the japs car make more .obama wants to breck thepay down to 1975 at 5.40 phr when you kill the auto insd. ever think goes down all the jobe are in china wake up usa stop bying that crap by made in the usa. there are over 1100.toys co. in the usa by on the internet break wal-mart
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 8:01PM jnjarnold
WTF????
Nov 9th 2009 @ 7:50PM JAZMEN
I lost you at phr and damn near swallowed my tongue Bill !
Oct 28th 2009 @ 3:01PM Eric
Don't believe the hype about these work from home comments, I have tried a lot of the main stream sites that promise sucess but all I got was money taken out of my debit card with nothing but a motivational cd to study. These perasites either post subjects like this just so they can pitch their garbage or they actively seek out fourms just so they can tell the wonderful benefits of working from home. It's all a scam!!!!!
Reply
Oct 28th 2009 @ 3:13PM Tony
You fail to mention that over 95% of elevator work in the United States is unionized
Reply