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Career ladders

The trades aren’t a job. They’re a ladder.

Nobody stays an apprentice. Here’s where four major trades actually lead, rung by rung, with honest timelines. Wage figures are typical U.S. patterns; your region and union status move them, usually up.

The Skilled Trades ecosystem infographic

Electrician

1
Apprentice · Years 1 to 5
Paid from day one, typically 40 to 60% of journeyman scale, with scheduled raises
2
Journeyman · Year 4 to 6+
Licensed, full scale, median pay is above $62K nationally (BLS), well higher in many regions
3
Foreman / Lead · Year 7+
Running crews, typically a 10 to 25% premium over journeyman scale
4
Master / Estimator / Contractor · Year 10+
Master license opens contracting, estimating, inspection, and business ownership

Plumber / Pipefitter

1
Apprentice · Years 1 to 5
Earn-while-you-learn through UA locals or open-shop programs
2
Journeyman · Year 4 to 6+
Licensed plumber or fitter at full scale
3
Foreman / Service Manager · Year 7+
Crew leadership or running a service division
4
Master Plumber / Contractor · Year 10+
Your license becomes a business, plumbing contractors are chronically scarce

HVAC Technician

1
Apprentice / Helper · Years 1 to 4
EPA 608 certification early; paid install and service work
2
Service Technician · Year 3 to 5+
Diagnostic work, the lighter-on-the-body lane with strong demand
3
Controls / BAS Specialist · Year 5+
Building automation, the tech-heavy, highest-ceiling lane in the trade
4
Service Manager / Contractor · Year 8+
Managing techs or owning the company

Welder

1
Apprentice / Production Welder · Years 1 to 3
Structural and production work while stacking certifications
2
Certified Pipe / TIG Welder · Year 3 to 5+
Each certification is a raise, pipe and TIG certs command premiums
3
Traveling / Specialty Welder · Year 5+
Turnarounds, pipelines, and shutdown work pay exceptionally, for those willing to travel
4
CWI Inspector / Instructor · Year 8+
Certified Welding Inspector, the knees-friendly, high-paying second act
Find your trade → How to get in Compare salaries

Timelines and pay vary by region, union status, and specialty. Journeyman electrician median from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.