High-Paying Blue Collar Jobs

Blue collar is no longer synonymous with poor pay. In fact, if you choose wisely, you might be able to earn more in blue-collar jobs than in some white-collar occupations. Each year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes its Occupational Employment Statistics, and these statistics are the basis for our list of high-paying blue collar jobs. The list cites median salary figures. As of last year, the government no longer uses the term “blue collar” to refer to jobs that usually pay hourly and involve some kind of manual labor. Here is the list of the highest-paying blue collar jobs in America:

• Elevator installers & repairers. These workers repair, install, and maintain freight and passenger elevators, escalators, and dumbwaiters. Their median hourly pay is $32.69 and $68,000 annually.
• Electrical & electronics repairers. Also referred to as field technicians, installers and repairers usually travel to factories and other locations to repair equipment. When equipment malfunctions, the technicians travel to the customer’s site to do repairs. The median hourly pay is $28.35 and $58,970 annually.
• Railroad conductors and yardmasters. Conductors coordinate the activities of the train crew on a freight or passenger train. Yardmasters handle the activities of workers engaged in the operations of railroad traffic. The median hourly pay is $28.20 and $58,650 annually.
• Locomotive engineers. These workers operate passenger or cargo trains traveling between stations. Engineers must know their routes thoroughly and be highly aware of the makeup and condition of their train. The median hourly pay is $27.65 and $57,520 annually.
• Power plant operators. Operators distribute the demand for power among generators, join the current from multiple generators, and monitor instruments to regulate the flow of electricity and maintain voltage. The median hourly pay is $27.23 and $56,640 annually.
• Ship engineers. These workers oversee and coordinate the activities of the crew members engaged in maintaining and operating deck machinery, boilers, engines, and sanitary, electrical, and refrigeration equipment on board the ship. The median hourly pay is $26.97 and $56,090 annually.
• First-line supervisors and managers of construction trades. First-line supervisors must lead their staff while also assessing blueprints and project specifications and using power tools. The median hourly pay is $26.90 and $55,950 annually.