The blog
Straight talk on what the trades pay
Worker-side guides and data deep-dives — what trades earn, how apprenticeships pay out stage by stage, how to negotiate with the numbers behind you, and where every figure comes from. Real BLS data, cited. No hype.
Browse by stage
- Getting StartedStraight answers before you commit four years to a trade.
- The NumbersWhat the wage data actually says — and where it goes quiet.
- Career GrowthFor the worker who's past the apprenticeship and wants more.
- The Trades TodayThe labor market, the economy, and the forces moving trade pay.
- ResourcesThe practical guides — programs, licensing, schools, scales.
Latest posts
- The Trades TodayThinking about leaving a desk job for a trade? What the pay data saysAn elevator installer medians $109,910 a year — more than a lot of the desk jobs people are trying to leave. Here's what the trades actually pay, sourced.June 23, 2026 · 5 min read
- Getting StartedThe 5-year apprenticeship roadmap: what you actually earn at each stageAn IBEW apprentice can start at 40% of journeyman scale — about $23.60/hr on a $59 base — and step up to 85% by the final period. Here's the full ladder.June 23, 2026 · 5 min read
- Getting StartedConsidering a trade? Here's what the data actually says about pay in 2026The skilled trades run from a $36,900 floor to a $141,180 ceiling. Before you pick one, here's what the BLS wage data actually says about where the money is.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read
- The NumbersWhat 25 states of BLS data reveal about electrician pay (and where the gaps are)An electrician in Illinois medians $99,560. In Alabama, $55,690 — same trade, same year. Here's what 25 states of BLS wage data actually shows, and what it leaves out.June 23, 2026 · 4 min read
- Career GrowthHow to negotiate a raise as a journeyman electrician (with real BLS data)A Texas electrician's pay spans $46,670 to $71,130 for the same trade. That $24,460 band is your raise argument — here's how to use the percentile, not a feeling.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read
- ResourcesHow to use Apprenticeship.gov to find a real registered program (a worker's guide)A Registered Apprenticeship is a paid job — you earn while you learn. Here's how to use Apprenticeship.gov to find a real one near you and what to ask before you sign on.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read
- Career GrowthPast journeyman: the pay climb most electricians don't see comingA median electrician makes $63,190. The top quarter makes $83,940 — and union scale tops $122K. Here's what the climb past journeyman actually looks like.June 23, 2026 · 5 min read
- The NumbersThe metro pay gap: where same-trade workers earn the most (and least)A plumber in San Jose medians $107,560. In Tampa, $52,000 — same trade, a $55,560 gap. Here's what BLS metro wage data says, and why nominal isn't take-home.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read
- Getting StartedTrade school vs apprenticeship: an honest financial comparisonOne path pays you from day one; the other you pay for up front. We can put real numbers on the apprenticeship side — here's the honest comparison, gaps and all.June 23, 2026 · 5 min read
- The NumbersUnion vs non-union pay: what the scales show where we can actually verify itA union plumber in California scales at $131,040 — 80% over the state BLS median. Real numbers, but only for the 11 trade-and-city pairs we can actually verify.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read