As members of Generation Z keep finishing high school and step into adulthood, numerous choose not to pursue conventional college degrees.
This is partly due to the expense associated with obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
they tell careerMake It
The yearly expense of attending a four-year, in-state public college rose approximately 30% from 2011 to 2023, as calculated by Make It using data sourced from various reports.
the Education Data Initiative
, and increased by 42% at private, nonprofit four-year institutions.
“Currently, there are approximately 2 million fewer students enrolled in a typical four-year college compared to 2011,” according to the statement.
Nich Tremper
, a senior economist working for the payroll and benefits platform Gusto.
Instead, many young peopleare entering skilled trades like construction, plumbing, electrical contracting and automotive repair. In the first quarter of 2024, Gen Z made up 18% of the workforce,
based on the information from the Department of Labor
However, individuals aged between 18 and 25 constituted almost 25% of all new employees in skilled trades that year.
according to Gusto
.
This is about how Generation Z members are carving out roles in blue-collar jobs and potential prospects they might face moving forward.
the Trump administration’s
latest tariffs.
I won’t shut down my business just to cover college expenses.
Morgan Bradbury, who is 21 years old, initially got into welding during her time in high school. She really enjoyed it.
“She simply got captivated by the idea of constructing objects using her own hands,” she explains. Upon completing high school, Bradbury enrolled in a nine-month welding certification program at Universal Technical Institute, which cost around $21,000.
Before finishing her studies, she secured a position at the military and information security firm BAE Systems, beginning her career with an annual salary around $57,000. Currently, she works as a second-rate welder aboard U.S. Navy vessels in Norfolk, Virginia.
Chase Gallagher, who is 24 years old, started doing landscape work around the age of 12 or 13, according to him. He then went on to register his own landscaping business.
CMG Landscaping
In 2015, things were happening. By the age of 18, he managed to accumulate up to 82 clients. He recalls, “‘When I saw those figures, I thought, ‘There’s no way I’m shutting down my business to cover college expenses.'”
In 2024, Gallagher’s enterprise generated $1,085,000 in revenue. His total earnings from both his salary and his portion as an owner amounted to slightly less than $500,000.
According to Gusto, the typical starting wage for professionals in skilled trades is around $23 an hour. Electricians earn a median yearly salary of
$62,350 per year
, plumbers earn a median salary of
$62,970 per year
and construction workers earn a middle salary of
$46,050 per year
, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Despite the high costs of education, wages for college graduates still
tend to be higher
The middle salary for those with a college degree in 2024 stood at $80,000, as per new statistics from the agency.
New York Federal Reserve Bank
. College graduates also get a median 12.5% return on their investment.
‘They’re adding to the dynamism of the economy’
President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs might
present some challenges
for Gen Zers opting into blue collar work, says Tremper, like those opting into manufacturing or construction, for example.
Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on ”
all countries
,” according to the White House, plus steeper tariffs on various products from Mexico and Canada. Canadian soft lumber, used in home construction, for example, currently has a
tariff of 14.54%
.
Tremper emphasizes that we must consider how tariffs on softwood lumber entering our nation could negatively impact job opportunities and skill development for local workers,” he continues, noting further that “higher expenses associated with homebuilding might result in reduced demand, consequently decreasing the number of positions available within the construction sector.
Nevertheless, Tremper points out that “in recent months, job security has been more robust in the trades compared to many conventional white-collar positions.” This observation stands true.
BLS data
calculating dismissal rates, which includes individuals who lost their jobs due to being laid off or terminated.
“As mentioned, industries such as construction, manufacturing, and those involving trade, transportation, and utilities have experienced lower layoff rates compared to sectors dominated by white-collar professionals, such as those in professional and business services,” he explains.
With Baby Boomers gradually leaving the job market, new openings will likely emerge. As Tremper points out, “As this generation steps back, Gen Z employees can step forward to create their own ventures, enhancing economic vitality and offering greater financial prospects for themselves.”
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The narrative has been revised to better align with recent statistics regarding the rise in expenses for attending college.