Should I learn a trade instead of going to college?

Hands-on work

• Electrician38 of 40 hours
• Truck driver38 of 40 hours
• Warehouse associate38 of 40 hours
• Medical assistant34 of 40 hours
• Retail sales associate32 of 40 hours
• Registered nurse32 of 40 hours
• Pharmacy technician27 of 40 hours

Hours are for a typical 40-hour week at the middle pace, from our task-by-task reports. How we score a job.

Desk work

• Staff accountant31 of 40 hours
• Paralegal28 of 40 hours
• Construction bookkeeper24 of 40 hours
• Customer service representative23 of 40 hours
• Data analyst23 of 40 hours
• Content writer18 of 40 hours
• Administrative assistant16 of 40 hours

Before you switch

• Count the training

  An apprenticeship or license takes years. Each trade page lists the path and what it costs.

• Read the other risks

  Trades ride the building cycle and freight rates. Robots are changing warehouse work. The role pages cover these.

• Keep your strengths

  Office skills carry into trades too, like estimating, scheduling and running a crew.