In the last two years, manufacturing lost 183,000 jobs. Construction added 340,000. We're building more but making less. Construction workers now earn $40/hour, that's $83,000 a year before overtime. No degree required.
Why Can't America Find Enough Construction Workers?
The industry needs 546,000 new workers annually to meet projected demand. We're producing nowhere near that. The average construction worker is 42 years old. An entire generation was told trades were for people who couldn't hack college. Guidance counselors pushed four-year degrees while $80K electrician jobs went begging.
What Does Construction Actually Pay in 2025?
Construction wages reached $40/hour in September 2025. In 2020, that number was $28. That's 40% growth in five years. Specialized trades pay more. Elevator installers average $102,000. HVAC technicians clear $80,000. Utility linemen top $90,000. Entry level leads there in four years while college graduates are still paying loans.
How Does an Apprenticeship Compare to College?
An 18-year-old entering a union apprenticeship earns while learning. After four years: roughly $160,000 in cumulative earnings plus a journeyman credential. An 18-year-old entering college accumulates debt. After four years: roughly $33,000 in average student debt and zero work experience. The apprentice's earnings plus the grad's debt plus four years of lost income: the total financial gap exceeds $320,000.
Why Is Construction Booming Now?
Three forces converged. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is deploying $550 billion in new spending. Semiconductor reshoring requires building factories. Housing demand continues despite higher rates. The demand curve bent up. The supply curve didn't follow.
The stigma is breaking because the math is undeniable. A welder with zero debt earning $85,000 has more financial freedom at 25 than a marketing manager with $120,000 in loans earning $65,000. When we measure success by net worth instead of diploma, the trades win. A generation drowning in debt is finally doing that calculation, and the skilled trades path is becoming the logical choice for financial freedom.