Construction managers plan and supervise construction projects including preparing budgets and schedules, reporting progress to clients, and collaborating with other professionals like architects and engineers.

Construction managers often need both a bachelor’s degree and experience on the job to get hired.

Median salary: $95,260 per year, according to BLS

Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical, lighting, communication, and control systems for homes. Many electricians learn the trade through an apprenticeship, but some also attend a technical school. Depending on the state, they may also be required to get a license.

Median salary: $56,180 per year, according to BLS

Employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs. Healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than any of the other occupational groups. This projected growth is mainly due to an aging population, leading to greater demand for healthcare services.

The median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (such as registered nurses, physicians and surgeons, and dental hygienists) was $69,870 in May 2020, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations in the economy of $41,950.

Healthcare Options BLM

HVAC technicians install, clean, and maintain heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems inside a home.

Employers generally prefer technicians to have an associate’s degree or certificate in the trade or to have completed an apprenticeship program. Some states may require a license.

Median salary: $48,730 per year, according to BLS

Landscape architects design gardens and outdoor spaces for private homes. They meet with clients to assess their needs, prepare graphic representations of their spaces’ plans, choose materials for their projects, and follow along with the process as they’re built.

Landscape architects must be licensed by their state, with states often requiring a bachelor’s in landscape architecture, internship experience, and passing a registration exam to qualify for a license.

Median salary: $69,360 per year, according to BLS

House painters can paint every part of a building from the walls to the ceiling. They also prepare surfaces for painting by filling holes and cracks with materials like plaster. Painters typically learn their trade on the job.

Median salary: $40,280 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Plumbers install, maintain, and repair piping in homes. They inspect and test pipes, determine what equipment might be needed to fix a problem, and ensure systems are running smoothly.

Plumbers often learn their craft through apprenticeships, although some also attend vocational schools. Most states require plumbers to get a license.

Typically, says Thompson, “while they’re earning the plumbing license, they’re working at a plumbing company. That plumbing company is usually paying for them to go to school.” That often means they don’t take on student debt to obtain required training.

Median salary: $55,160 per year, according to BLS