Here’s a breakdown of median salaries (not starting salaries) in the state of Tennessee (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics):
**Welder**
* **Median Hourly:** ~$22.50 – $24.00
* **Median Annual:** ~$47,000 – $50,000
**HVAC Technician**
* **Median Hourly:** ~$24.00 – $25.50
* **Median Annual:** ~$50,000 – $53,000
**Plumber**
* **Median Hourly:** ~$26.50 – $28.50
* **Median Annual:** ~$55,000 – $59,000
**Electrician**
* **Median Hourly:** ~$27.50 – $29.50
* **Median Annual:** ~$57,000 – $61,000
These are not bad salaries but six figures is rare for blue collar jobs if you’re not the owner of your own company.
I’m reading that six figures comes from working on the high value data centers where they are in demand.