Cripple Creek, you are right as usual. Now a BA or even most BSs may get you a middle class job. At one time either darn near guaranteed your entry into the upper middle class or even the upper class.
As for those tradesmen and makers jobs, there is not near enough people to fill them, therefore most tradesmen move pretty quickly into the upper middle class. With all those near worthless college diplomas, we no longer have people who can fix anything.
Think back 30+ years; Did you ever hear of a trade called “Handyman”? I was damn near 70 years old before I hired anyone to make repairs to my house or vehicles. Now days a “handyman” can make a pretty darned good living.
I don’t believe my great great grandfather ever held a “job” in the sense we think of today. He was primarily a farmer to feed his family. During the winters he logged his land to produce lumber for his own use and to sell. He also spent his winter nights making furniture to sell.
My great grandfather did draw a paycheck in his youth but he was mostly a contractor. After WWI he was a surveyor in Michigan’s upper peninsula for putting power lines in. When he finished mapping the route he went back to the starting point and became a lineman. When that was done he came south and became an electrician doing everything from hanging the wires to wiring homes.
I know a guy who just cleans gutters off of apartment building roofs and does other handyman work. He controls his own time (usually listed as #1 in ratings of personal life satisfaction) and makes a middleclass living. He works just half a day so he can be with his family as often as possible. A single roof is $100. It’s spread out over 6-12 apartments so it’s nothing for the manager, but it is a ‘scary’ job.
During the RE crash he bought two condos in the same building for 1/4 of their pre-crash prices. He rents one out and the rental pays for all his living expenses in the other. They’ve both recovered about 3/4 of their value, so he’s sitting on a very nice gain.
He’s industrious, hard working and grew up in the 3rd world. He loves America. Of course, he came here legally and can speak English.
Sounds like we are both near the same age.
My parents were considered “middle class” when I grew up. At that time, that was a large segment of the population. I was motivated to go to college but I needed to work virtually full time at minimum wage, then $1 per hour or so. Finished school, no debt and some savings, enlisted in army for 3 and then began my career. My wife and I are in what may be called above middle class but not rich. I got there because of self motivation and the realization that working means bringing value to your employer above your pay. Today, many feel they are entitled to start at levels beyond what their parents achieved in their whole lives and want the government to subsidize that life style. I deeply resent that along with the moochers who are content to ride along on various government programs which are nothing more than enslavement through voting. And yes, I can change a faucet washer, paint my house or fix an electrical problem because my dad made certain I could which points out that growing up in a stable 2 person family is the best way to assure success in our society.