Career and Academic Pathway

Trades and Service Industry

Related Careers

Administrative Services Managers

Industries: Management Occupations

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

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Starting Salary: $67,100

Median Salary: $114,130

Employment: 263,960

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.

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Starting Salary: $59,050

Median Salary: $82,890

Employment: 11,280

Agricultural Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Apply knowledge of engineering technology and biological science to agricultural problems concerned with power and machinery, electrification, structures, soil and water conservation, and processing of agricultural products.

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Starting Salary: $68,060

Median Salary: $98,590

Employment: 1,480

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

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Starting Salary: $48,780

Median Salary: $79,870

Employment: 138,090

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.

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Starting Salary: $62,300

Median Salary: $99,280

Employment: 106,770

Architectural and Civil Drafters

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.

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Starting Salary: $46,260

Median Salary: $66,150

Employment: 103,700

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Industries: Management Occupations

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.

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Starting Salary: $120,810

Median Salary: $171,270

Employment: 220,260

Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary

Industries: Education, Training, and Library Occupations

Teach courses in architecture and architectural design, such as architectural environmental design, interior architecture/design, and landscape architecture. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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Starting Salary: $58,430

Median Salary: $96,870

Employment: 7,700

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

Industries: Education, Training, and Library Occupations

Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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Starting Salary: $47,570

Median Salary: $78,620

Employment: 93,560

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Install, repair, or adjust audio or television receivers, stereo systems, camcorders, video systems, or other electronic entertainment equipment in homes or other venues. May perform routine maintenance.

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Starting Salary: $36,760

Median Salary: $52,600

Employment: 19,780

Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants

Industries: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

Service automobiles, buses, trucks, boats, and other automotive or marine vehicles with fuel, lubricants, and accessories. Collect payment for services and supplies. May lubricate vehicle, change motor oil, refill antifreeze, or replace lights or other accessories, such as windshield wiper blades or fan belts. May repair or replace tires.

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Starting Salary: $28,630

Median Salary: $35,670

Employment: 102,010

Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

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Starting Salary: $36,910

Median Salary: $54,890

Employment: 149,310

Automotive Engineering Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.

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Starting Salary: $48,400

Median Salary: $74,510

Employment: 36,190

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.

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Starting Salary: $34,660

Median Salary: $50,620

Employment: 704,640

Avionics Technicians

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.

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Starting Salary: $49,410

Median Salary: $82,280

Employment: 18,830

Bakers

Industries: Production Occupations

Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.

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Starting Salary: $28,120

Median Salary: $37,160

Employment: 236,200

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.

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Starting Salary: $44,530

Median Salary: $61,770

Employment: 289,960

Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Industries: Education, Training, and Library Occupations

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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Starting Salary: $47,180

Median Salary: $99,080

Employment: 82,150

Chefs and Head Cooks

Industries: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.

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Starting Salary: $37,900

Median Salary: $62,470

Employment: 200,040

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.

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Starting Salary: $44,220

Median Salary: $64,950

Employment: 68,520

Civil Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.

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Starting Salary: $68,240

Median Salary: $100,840

Employment: 367,840

Commercial and Industrial Designers

Industries: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.

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Starting Salary: $53,460

Median Salary: $83,910

Employment: 33,490

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Industries: Management Occupations

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

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Starting Salary: $107,550

Median Salary: $175,140

Employment: 670,570

Computer Hardware Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. May supervise the manufacturing and installation of computer or computer-related equipment and components.

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Starting Salary: $92,940

Median Salary: $161,740

Employment: 76,660

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers

Industries: Production Occupations

Develop programs to control machining or processing of materials by automatic machine tools, equipment, or systems. May also set up, operate, or maintain equipment.

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Starting Salary: $47,530

Median Salary: $68,120

Employment: 28,500

Construction and Building Inspectors

Industries: Construction and Extraction Occupations

Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.

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Starting Salary: $47,140

Median Salary: $74,690

Employment: 146,720

Construction Managers

Industries: Management Occupations

Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.

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Starting Salary: $69,690

Median Salary: $114,990

Employment: 380,360

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Industries: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

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Starting Salary: $28,480

Median Salary: $37,450

Employment: 441,050

Cooks, Private Household

Industries: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.

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Starting Salary: $36,090

Median Salary: $47,940

Employment: 1,100

Cooks, Restaurant

Industries: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

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Starting Salary: $28,700

Median Salary: $37,390

Employment: 1,409,890

Cost Estimators

Industries: Business and Financial Operations Occupations

Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.

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Starting Salary: $48,530

Median Salary: $78,740

Employment: 224,220

Customer Service Representatives

Industries: Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.

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Starting Salary: $31,750

Median Salary: $44,770

Employment: 2,595,750

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Industries: Production Occupations

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

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Starting Salary: $35,760

Median Salary: $46,330

Employment: 171,200

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Repair, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches.

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Starting Salary: $37,100

Median Salary: $56,210

Employment: 14,450

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.

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Starting Salary: $49,510

Median Salary: $78,190

Employment: 95,130

Electrical and Electronics Drafters

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.

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Starting Salary: $50,040

Median Salary: $76,870

Employment: 17,920

Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Install, adjust, or maintain mobile electronics communication equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance systems on trains, watercraft, or other mobile equipment.

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Starting Salary: $50,750

Median Salary: $84,890

Employment: 6,940

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Repair, test, adjust, or install electronic equipment, such as industrial controls, transmitters, and antennas.

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Starting Salary: $46,840

Median Salary: $74,090

Employment: 65,010

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

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Starting Salary: $65,730

Median Salary: $103,020

Employment: 20,720

Electrical Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.

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Starting Salary: $76,550

Median Salary: $120,630

Employment: 198,750

Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Operate, test, maintain, or adjust unmanned, automated, servomechanical, or electromechanical equipment. May operate unmanned submarines, aircraft, or other equipment to observe or record visual information at sites such as oil rigs, crop fields, buildings, or for similar infrastructure, deep ocean exploration, or hazardous waste removal. May assist engineers in testing and designing robotics equipment.

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Starting Salary: $47,840

Median Salary: $73,900

Employment: 15,520

Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Install, diagnose, or repair communications, sound, security, or navigation equipment in motor vehicles.

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Starting Salary: $35,590

Median Salary: $48,420

Employment: 8,550

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Research, design, develop, or test electronic components and systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use employing knowledge of electronic theory and materials properties. Design electronic circuits and components for use in fields such as telecommunications, aerospace guidance and propulsion control, acoustics, or instruments and controls.

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Starting Salary: $81,840

Median Salary: $130,220

Employment: 96,900

Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary

Industries: Education, Training, and Library Occupations

Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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Starting Salary: $61,550

Median Salary: $109,270

Employment: 40,270

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Apply theory and principles of environmental engineering to modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental problems, including waste treatment and site remediation, under the direction of engineering staff or scientists. May assist in the development of environmental remediation devices.

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Starting Salary: $39,910

Median Salary: $59,920

Employment: 12,190

Facilities Managers

Industries: Management Occupations

Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.

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Starting Salary: $64,480

Median Salary: $106,660

Employment: 156,180

Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Industries: Protective Service Occupations

Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.

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Starting Salary: $46,530

Median Salary: $75,920

Employment: 13,800

Firefighters

Industries: Protective Service Occupations

Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.

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Starting Salary: $34,910

Median Salary: $59,280

Employment: 345,990

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers

Industries: Construction and Extraction Occupations

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

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Starting Salary: $53,280

Median Salary: $79,920

Employment: 812,210

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Industries: Protective Service Occupations

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

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Starting Salary: $53,430

Median Salary: $93,530

Employment: 99,140

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Industries: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.

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Starting Salary: $29,940

Median Salary: $44,080

Employment: 1,223,240

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.

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Starting Salary: $49,600

Median Salary: $79,860

Employment: 617,500

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Industries: Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

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Starting Salary: $45,610

Median Salary: $69,500

Employment: 1,436,680

Floral Designers

Industries: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Design, cut, and arrange live, dried, or artificial flowers and foliage.

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Starting Salary: $28,600

Median Salary: $37,360

Employment: 40,590

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

Industries: Protective Service Occupations

Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.

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Starting Salary: $35,420

Median Salary: $56,870

Employment: 2,780

Furniture Finishers

Industries: Production Occupations

Shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.

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Starting Salary: $32,160

Median Salary: $44,540

Employment: 14,480

Graphic Designers

Industries: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

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Starting Salary: $39,520

Median Salary: $62,960

Employment: 197,830

Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Promote worksite or product safety by applying knowledge of industrial processes, mechanics, chemistry, psychology, and industrial health and safety laws. Includes industrial product safety engineers.

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Starting Salary: $68,420

Median Salary: $115,160

Employment: 21,450

Home Appliance Repairers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.

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Starting Salary: $36,190

Median Salary: $50,990

Employment: 32,150

Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Apply engineering theory and principles to problems of industrial layout or manufacturing production, usually under the direction of engineering staff. May perform time and motion studies on worker operations in a variety of industries for purposes such as establishing standard production rates or improving efficiency.

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Starting Salary: $47,300

Median Salary: $66,120

Employment: 75,570

Industrial Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.

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Starting Salary: $74,370

Median Salary: $102,440

Employment: 365,740

Industrial Machinery Mechanics

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.

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Starting Salary: $46,120

Median Salary: $64,520

Employment: 439,640

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

Industries: Production Occupations

Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.

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Starting Salary: $35,510

Median Salary: $48,570

Employment: 597,370

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building in repair. Duties may involve pipe fitting; HVAC maintenance; insulating; welding; machining; carpentry; repairing electrical or mechanical equipment; installing, aligning, and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs.

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Starting Salary: $35,350

Median Salary: $49,590

Employment: 1,529,700

Maintenance Workers, Machinery

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.

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Starting Salary: $42,000

Median Salary: $60,850

Employment: 60,020

Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Move or install mobile homes or prefabricated buildings.

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Starting Salary: $27,120

Median Salary: $45,990

Employment: 3,020

Manufacturing Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.

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Starting Salary: $74,370

Median Salary: $102,440

Employment: 365,740

Mechanical Drafters

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.

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Starting Salary: $48,360

Median Salary: $71,550

Employment: 39,960

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.

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Starting Salary: $48,400

Median Salary: $74,510

Employment: 36,190

Mechanical Engineers

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.

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Starting Salary: $73,990

Median Salary: $104,110

Employment: 296,810

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Industries: Production Occupations

Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.

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Starting Salary: $39,760

Median Salary: $63,340

Employment: 2,610

Nannies

Industries: Personal Care and Service Occupations

Care for children in private households and provide support and expertise to parents in satisfying children's physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs. Duties may include meal planning and preparation, laundry and clothing care, organization of play activities and outings, discipline, intellectual stimulation, language activities, and transportation.

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Starting Salary: $24,260

Median Salary: $34,980

Employment: 518,910

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Industries: Production Occupations

Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.

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Starting Salary: $42,460

Median Salary: $58,000

Employment: 1,470

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Industries: Production Occupations

Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.

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Starting Salary: $72,440

Median Salary: $106,730

Employment: 8,520

Power Plant Operators

Industries: Production Occupations

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

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Starting Salary: $61,790

Median Salary: $102,040

Employment: 29,320

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Industries: Construction and Extraction Occupations

Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools. Includes rod busters.

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Starting Salary: $43,310

Median Salary: $58,970

Employment: 13,800

Robotics Technicians

Industries: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Build, install, test, or maintain robotic equipment or related automated production systems.

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Starting Salary: $47,840

Median Salary: $73,900

Employment: 15,520

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Industries: Production Occupations

Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.

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Starting Salary: $37,690

Median Salary: $50,140

Employment: 25,250

Sheet Metal Workers

Industries: Construction and Extraction Occupations

Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.

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Starting Salary: $38,630

Median Salary: $61,800

Employment: 119,770

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Industries: Construction and Extraction Occupations

Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks.

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Starting Salary: $41,600

Median Salary: $53,140

Employment: 31,350

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Industries: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

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Starting Salary: $58,600

Median Salary: $102,030

Employment: 19,970

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Industries: Production Occupations

Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

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Starting Salary: $37,960

Median Salary: $51,330

Employment: 52,360

Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.

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Starting Salary: $45,310

Median Salary: $74,330

Employment: 97,720

Tire Repairers and Changers

Industries: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Repair and replace tires.

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Starting Salary: $30,010

Median Salary: $37,710

Employment: 108,410

Tool and Die Makers

Industries: Production Occupations

Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

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Starting Salary: $44,680

Median Salary: $64,050

Employment: 56,930

Urban and Regional Planners

Industries: Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.

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Starting Salary: $60,010

Median Salary: $89,320

Employment: 44,230

Web Administrators

Industries: Computer and Mathematical Occupations

Manage web environment design, deployment, development and maintenance activities. Perform testing and quality assurance of web sites and web applications.

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Starting Salary: $55,940

Median Salary: $116,580

Employment: 435,370

Web and Digital Interface Designers

Industries: Computer and Mathematical Occupations

Design digital user interfaces or websites. Develop and test layouts, interfaces, functionality, and navigation menus to ensure compatibility and usability across browsers or devices. May use web framework applications as well as client-side code and processes. May evaluate web design following web and accessibility standards, and may analyze web use metrics and optimize websites for marketability and search engine ranking. May design and test interfaces that facilitate the human-computer interaction and maximize the usability of digital devices, websites, and software with a focus on aesthetics and design. May create graphics used in websites and manage website content and links.

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Starting Salary: $53,750

Median Salary: $104,000

Employment: 113,330

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Industries: Production Occupations

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

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Starting Salary: $39,240

Median Salary: $53,750

Employment: 416,210

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Industries: Production Occupations

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

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Starting Salary: $36,860

Median Salary: $47,920

Employment: 31,600

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