Quote from Mom0/pH0x:
i think city plumbers in NYC don't start too far from 100k, and i'm sure many of them surpass 100k within a few years
also, your figure includes the plumbers in Chula, Georgia and San Francisco, CA you can nearly live like a king for 47k in south georgia
The average yearly salary for plumbers in 2007 was $47,350, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Keep in mind that apprentices start work at half the salary earned by experienced workers. You can expect to receive raises throughout your training though, often every six months.
Most plumbers belong to the UA (United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting, Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada). Union members generally earn more than nonunion workers.
Quote from IluvVol:
well, even then I would be hard pressed to believe a plumber in NYC would earn north of 100k. Why would a plumber in NYC earn more than a teacher, nurse, .....in NYC?
Fact of the matter is that this job requires one of the least training and licensing/oversight among other handcraft jobs. There is just no economic reason. And I dont bite into the supply/demand argument either. Look, nurses are in high demand and there are not enough out there in the market, yet they dont earn 100k.
Quote from forextrades:
Union scale in NYC is over $40/hour on the check. Almost $60/hr with benefits. You need to go through a 5-year apprenticeship and get an associates degree with some locals. Most plumbers don't do just pluming either. There are different sub-disciplines of plumbing such as boiler work, gas piping, medical gas, sprinklers, and even building controls/automation on the HVAC side.
Boiler work, for example, is extremely dangerous and pays well for good reason.
BTW, lots of nurses in NYC make $100k+. RNs do anyway. Not LPNs.
Quote from IluvVol:
fuxx the unions, unions are antiquated and a thing of the past, even Obama can't change that. Look how they interfered with the GM/FORD discussions. While I believe most mistakes have been committed by upper management I am not surprised car companies and air lines will never run profitably over the long run from here on unless they can push down hourly wages. That in turn is blocked by the unions. They are shoveling their own grave those idiots. Why does an unskilled car worker deserve 50-70 hour (including benefits)? Give me a break!!! China is thanking those every day who believe such workers are worth such buck.
Quote from Mom0/pH0x:
for example a transmission specialist, a pretty blue collar/pedestrian vocation, earns on average 72K that's almost as good as your MBA even by your bloated pre collapse figures...
http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-Transmission+Specialist/l-Philadelphia,+PA
we are all aware that the business degreed crowd DID make more money than the tradesmen in recent history, but where i think our critical departure from your lone opinion lies is where work will be found in the coming years and decades of americas future...
Quote from Covertibility:
This thread should've stopped after the first page but the pikers had to sound off.
Now introducing a new field, the HVAC.
Median salary : 38,815
Just as bad as the plumber.
Just for some perspective of what a simple bachelor's degree can fetch:
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17-20k a year more over time probably does make a significant difference in one's life. But hey, some people are just too dumb to go to school.