The 15 Best Blue Collar Jobs

You’re ready to hit the bricks and start working. College is not for you but earning money right out of high school sounds like a good way to get started. You’re fit, you’re smart, and you’re eager to make your mark on the world — If this sounds like you, then a blue-collar job might be your ticket to the lifestyle you want to live.

And the best news is you don’t need a lengthy and expensive education to get there. You can typically start right after high school. Some people might even begin training while they’re still in high school.

1. Elevator Repairer Jobs (Overview)

2. Power Plant Operator Jobs (Overview)

3. Boiler Maker Jobs (Overview)

4. Building Inspector Jobs (Overview)

5. Structural Steel Ironworker Jobs (Overview)

6. Farm Rancher Jobs (Overview)

7. Oil Rig Driller Jobs (Overview)

8. Transportation Inspector Jobs (Overview)

9. Power Line Lineman Jobs (Overview)

10. Electrician Jobs (Overview)

11. Plumber Jobs (Overview)

12. Brick Mason Jobs (Overview)

13. Commercial Driver Jobs (Overview)

14. Locomotive Engineer Jobs (Overview)

15. Millwright Jobs (Overview)

15 Highest-Paying Blue-Collar Jobs

The good news is that with the blurring of the roles, there’s a good chance you can land in a blue-collar occupation that pays very well.

The catch is that you’ll probably need to put in several years to get the experience, on-the-job training, and even some schooling for certifications to reach the higher pay levels. But it’s possible, and these are some high paying blue-collar professions.

1. Elevator Repair
   Average Annual Salary: $47,000

   Sometimes simply called an elevator mechanic, these people are in great demand. Think of all the elevators, escalators, chairlifts, moving walkways, and other devices we now use to make life easier.

   This job is not for someone right out of high school because you’ll need specialized knowledge of electronics, hydraulics, and some specialized computer systems. But the education and certification process isn’t too lengthy, and you can earn a good living.

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2. Gas or Power Plant Operator
   Average Annual Salary: $47,000

   This is a position that you’ll work your way into. It requires many years of experience, education, and some extensive on-the-job training. But it’s still considered a blue-collar profession, and you can begin working toward this end goal out of high school.

   In this career, you’re in charge of the systems that generate and distribute power. It’s a very important job that deserves respect and the pay level it gets.

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3. Boilermaker
   Average Annual Salary: $48,000

   This might not be a job you hear much about, but they’re out there. Boilers, tanks, and closed vats are needed in many industries to provide power or heat or used for the storage of liquids. The position has room for growth, and with growth comes more responsibility and pay.

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4. Construction and Building Inspectors
   Average Annual Salary: $57,000

   This career can skirt between blue and white-collar, so it may be seen as a grey-collar job by some. But, typically, you’ll start in a blue-collar position and learn the industry or a specialty area. You will then expand your expertise and become an expert in compliance, regulations, laws, and more.

   Earning certificates along the way helps you ease into this role over time.

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5. Structural Steel Ironworker
   Average Annual Salary: $47,000

   These professionals specialize in using iron and steel to reinforce and provide structure to buildings. Knowing how to read blueprints, understanding structural capacities, using specialized tools, and communicating with teammates is crucial.

   This job is very hands-on, but it also needs an eye for precision and a thorough understanding of building techniques.

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6. Farm Rancher
   Average Annual Salary: $29,000

   One of the oldest jobs around is a blue-collar profession. Farmers and ranchers can make a very good living, but today’s farmers are usually not like the last generation of farmers. They’re definitely not doing it like farmers and ranchers did hundreds of years ago.

   Today, technology can play a big part in these industries, from what grains to plant in your soil to machines that milk cows. It’s still a job where physical skill is critical, but tech is playing a bigger role.

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7. Oil Rig Driller
   Average Annual Salary: $74,000

   Working on the big oil rigs has long been a taxing and physically grueling job. Some work offshore, in the ocean, and others work in fields. It’s hard work. There are a lot of opportunities for injuries or danger, but the pay is great, and there’s not a lot of training involved in a ground-level position.

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8. Transportation Inspector
   Average Annual Salary: $42,000

   Love trains, planes, and automobiles? Then maybe a job as a transportation inspector is for you. Your job is to inspect vehicles and report any safety or environmental violations. There are a lot of opportunities in this field, and you can specialize in your favorite mode of transportation.

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9. Power lineman
   Average Annual Salary: $74,000

   You know those tall power lines you see along the highway. Well, someone has to install and repair them. This job doesn’t just require knowledge of electricity and power-line management; it also takes a lot of physical strength and comfort with heights.

   In addition, you’re working with high-voltage electricity. This job has many perils, which is why it can be so lucrative.

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10. Electrician
    Average Annual Salary: $53,000

    Electricians are commonly thought of when you mention blue-collar tradesmen. They usually learn the trade as an apprentice, join a union, and frequently have some certifications.

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11. Plumber, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
    Average Annual Salary: $54,000

    You’re probably familiar with what a plumber does; a pipefitter and steamfitter have similar jobs. They all work to move liquids, gasses, and sometimes solids through piping fixtures. Whether they’re installing or repairing, it doesn’t matter.

    This is another profession where an apprenticeship is a typical way to learn what you need to know.

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12. Brick mason
    Average Annual Salary: $44,000

    The bricks used in buildings, stones used in landscapes, and concrete blocks in construction are probably laid there by brick masons. If it’s a brick or a stone, they’re usually the ones who put them in place. This job takes a lot of physical strength and requires an integral understanding of structures and support.

    It’s not an easy job for most, but it can be lucrative, creative, and rewarding if you’re built for it.

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13. Commercial Driver
    Average Annual Salary: $49,000

    Obviously, you’re going to need some licensing for this position. A standard driver’s license comes first; then, you get an over-the-road (OTR) license and different classes of Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL). It all depends on what you decide to specialize in and what you’ll be driving, from packages to livestock.

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14. Locomotive Engineer
    Average Annual Salary: $51,000

    Have you ever dreamed of being a train engineer? It’s still a job, and it’s not a bad one. Locomotive engineers are responsible for getting passengers and freight safely to their destination. Some drive them, some coordinate the activities of several trains, and some operate the signals and switches in the yards.

    It’s a pretty cool job but has a lot of responsibility and requires on-the-job training.

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15. Millwright
    Average Annual Salary: $50,000

    A millwright or an industrial mechanic is a job you don’t hear much about unless you work in a factory or a construction site. These people are highly skilled in their craft and know everything about the machines they work on, mainly because it’s their job to assemble, dismantle, maintain, and repair them.

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What Is a Blue-Collar Job?

Have you heard the terms blue-collar jobs, white-collar jobs, pink-collar jobs, or grey-collar jobs before? The blue and white-collar terms have been used for decades. It’s only more recently that other colors have been added.

The term white-collar worker is believed to have been coined by the American author Upton Sinclair. But the term blue-collar worker was first used in reference to trades jobs in a 1924 edition of the newspaper in Alden, Iowa.

While white-collar is pretty evident in the fact that most businessmen of the era wore white collared, button-down dress shirts to work, the blue-collar worker term is a little more obscure. However, you still find a lot of people who work in the trades or doing industrial and manual labor wearing denim or chambray.

The old blue work uniform or jumpsuit is not as prevalent today as it once was, but you get the idea. They are the jobs that are the most common for non-college graduates.

So, if you’re looking for a blue-collar job, that means you’re typically going to be working in a trade, doing manual labor, or in a factory. It also means you will most likely be paid hourly and not be a salaried employee. It also meant you didn’t have any education beyond high school and considered unskilled labor. That’s changed a bit, though.

Blue Collar Jobs FAQ

1. What is the highest-paying blue-collar job?

   The highest-paying blue-collar job is a nuclear power reactor operator. In 2020, these professionals earned a median salary of $104,040. There aren’t many positions available for nuclear power reactor operators – just 5,310 were employed across the U.S. in 2020 – but those who can enter the field enjoy a lucrative career.

   Nuclear power reactor operators operate and maintain nuclear reactors in many power plants across the country. Because this is a job that has massive consequences if done incorrectly, you’ll need significant training and experience before you reach this role and this pay bracket, just as you do in many career paths.

   Other high-paying blue-collar jobs include:

   • Power distributors and dispatchers

   • First-line police and detective supervisors

   • Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

   • Detectives and criminal investigators

   • Powerhouse, substation, and relay electrical and electronics repairers

   • Power plant operators

   • First-line fire-fighting and prevention worker supervisors

   • Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

   • Train signal and track switch repairers

2. Is a mechanic blue collar?

   Yes, a mechanic is a blue-collar worker. Blue-collar jobs are generally considered jobs that don’t require a college degree, and they usually include trade, manual labor, or factory jobs. Since mechanics don’t have to earn a college degree and work with their hands, they’re considered blue-collar workers.

   Mechanics often earn associate’s degrees or professional certifications from a trade or technical school to help them get a job but don’t usually need undergraduate degrees. They can generally learn all or most of what they need to know from on-the-job training, whether that’s in a professional program or with the company they work for (or both).

   Many mechanics own their own businesses, which requires at least some training in business, so some may choose to get their undergraduate degrees.

   Mechanics who mainly run their businesses are often considered gray-collar, which is a term for someone who has a job that falls somewhere between white- and blue-collar work.

3. Can you make six figures in construction?

   Yes, you can make six figures in construction. However, you’ll have to work your way up to where you’re running whole projects – if not the entire company – to do so.

   Once you get up to a managerial position, the city or area where you work and what you work on will determine whether you make six figures or not. In some regions, construction managers can make six figures, while in others, only owners of large construction companies make this much.

   If your goal is to earn a six-figure salary and work in construction, find a few people who have accomplished this and ask how they got there. Talk to them about their education, what experience they gained, and what specific construction areas they’d recommend you enter.

   Chances are, many of these executives have earned a degree or had at least some business training of some kind in addition to mastering their construction skills.

   If you know you’re interested in this career, there are whole undergraduate degree programs built around construction management, so keep that in mind as an option as you plan your future career steps.

4. What are the best cities for blue-collar workers?

   Cities with economies that rely on blue-collar industries are best for blue-collar workers. Cities with significant oil, manufacturing, or mining industries will have more jobs available for blue-collar workers, which usually means they’ll be the most successful in those locations.

   Some of the top U.S. metro areas for blue-collar workers include:

   • Pittsburgh, PA

   • Buffalo/Cheektowaga, NY

   • Hartford/East Hartford/Middletown, CT

   • Providence, RI/Warwick, MA

   • Oklahoma City, OK

   • Cleveland/Elyria, OH

   • Birmingham/Hoover, AL

   • Cincinnati, OH

   • Detroit/Warren/Dearborn, MI

   These are examples of cities that heavily rely on blue-collar workers and, as a result, have high numbers of blue-collar job opportunities. This not only means better job security, but it also means you can usually negotiate for higher pay and better conditions more easily and have more opportunities for advancement.

   Many of these cities also often have lower costs of living, which means that your paycheck will go further.

5. What types of jobs are blue-collar?

   Trade, manual labor, or factory jobs are blue-collar jobs. These include jobs repairing elevators and power lines, manufacturing products, fixing cars, and building homes, to name just a few.

   Blue-collar jobs usually don’t require a college education, and, as a result, workers can often start their careers right after high school. Often graduates may choose to attend a trade or technical school to give them a head start in learning a trade, but often these cost very little or are free when completed in high school.

   Many blue-collar workers also start their careers with apprenticeships where they receive on-the-job training and can work on real-life projects under the supervision of more experienced professionals.

   Like interns, you don’t necessarily get paid much during this time, but you’re all but guaranteed a full-time job after you complete your apprenticeship.

   Blue-collar jobs often aren’t salaried positions, which means you get paid by the hour. This has its benefits, as you then usually qualify for overtime pay, ensuring you’re compensated well if you have to work more than 40 hours a week.

6. Is nursing blue collar?

   Some nursing jobs are blue-collar, while others are not. For example, Registered Nurses (RNs) have to complete at least a bachelor’s degree, and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) have to complete a master’s degree to earn their credentials, which usually puts them in the white-collar category.

   However, some argue that because nurses do a form of manual labor, they’re considered blue-collar workers.

   Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), on the other hand, typically only need an associate’s degree at the most. This, combined with the fact that they perform many manual tasks, usually puts them in the blue-collar category.

   Nursing jobs are often considered pink-collar, referring to occupations traditionally only held by women. Although women are no longer only relegated to certain jobs and men often hold these pink-collar jobs, there is still a history of women accounting for most of these roles.

The Changing Role of the Blue Collar Worker

When the terms were first coined, there was a big gap between those people who worked in office buildings and those who built them. Today that gap has blurred considerably. With that blurring, the good news is that the division of class and the pay scales have also met in the middle, as it were.

An electrician or plumber would traditionally be considered a blue-collar worker. They go out there and get their hands dirty doing the job themselves. Not too much education was required, as it often required them to go through an apprenticeship program or on-the-job training.

Today, more skills and education are often required for these positions. These workers, especially the higher-level ones, have additional vocational training, certifications, and even degrees. Yet, they typically aren’t sitting in a white-collar desk job. They’re considered grey collar workers.

And there are a lot more of them out there now than in the past, especially with the rise of technology and computers.

This is good news for you because it means you can start at a blue-collar job, learn as you go, and move into a higher paying position and possibly a grey-collar job. In fact, for some people, blue-collar jobs are turning into the jobs they work when they retire – just for something to do and earn extra income.

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.