See all Blog Posts Survey Says: There is a Lack of Awareness and Negative Perception of Trade Schools and Careers Category: News Posted: November 13, 2019 Despite the demand for skilled tradespeople and the accompanying high salaries, job availability and security, results from a recent survey show young Americans have an alarming lack of awareness about these opportunities. According to a national poll of men and women ages 18-24, knowledge was lacking in regard to trade schools and few even considered the trades as an option after graduating high school. More than half (62%) said they didn’t learn about trade schools in high school, and more than two thirds (68%) said trade school was never discussed by their guidance counselor. Respondents also revealed some negative stigma associated with the skilled trades. Half of those surveyed said they would rather be a barista than a welder, even though can pay more than $100,000 per year. Fifty five percent (55%) of respondents also believe that people with office jobs earn more respect than those who work with their hands. According to the , the average trade school degree costs $33,000, compared to a $127,000 bachelor’s degree. Despite the dramatically lower cost of trade schools, nearly two thirds (65%) of the respondents of this survey believed that student debt was simply the price you pay for a college education. reports 25 percent of american adults have student loan debt, graduating with an average debt balance of $28,565 and an average monthly student loan payment of nearly $400. Below are the full results of the survey commissioned by Metal Supermarkets, the world’s largest supplier of small -quantity metals, to find some of the common perceptions persist for trade careers. Also view accompanying Infographic here. 1. What is your gender? 50.1% said Male 49.9% said Female 2. What is your age? 14.7% said 18 13.9% said 19 12.9% said 20 12.5% said 21 14.3% said 22 15.0% said 23 16.8% said 24 3. Which State do you live in? 1.60% said Alabama 0.20% said Alaska 3.00% said Arizona 1.00% said Arkansas 10.10% said California 2.20% said Colorado 0.80% said Connecticut 0.40% said Delaware 7.90% said Florida 3.60% said Georgia 0.80% said Hawaii 0.60% said Idaho 4.20% said Illinois 2.40% said Indiana 0.60% said Iowa 0.60% said Kansas 1.60% said Kentucky 0.60% said Louisiana 0.20% said Maine 0.80% said Maryland 2.20% said Massachusetts 2.20% said Michigan 3.00% said Minnesota 1.00% said Mississippi 1.80% said Missouri 0.20% said Montana 1.40% said Nevada 0.40% said New Hampshire 3.20% said New Jersey 0.40% said New Mexico 6.50% said New York 3.60% said North Carolina 0.20% said North Dakota 5.70% said Ohio 0.40% said Oklahoma 0.60% said Oregon 5.50% said Pennsylvania 0.60% said South Carolina 0.40% said South Dakota 2.20% said Tennessee 7.50% said Texas 1.00% said Utah 2.40% said Virginia 3.00% said Washington 1.00% said West Virginia 0.60% said Wisconsin 0.20% said Wyoming 4. What did you do immediately after high school? 59.8% said College 5.7% said Trade School 26.9% said Work 7.5% said Other (fill-in answer choice) 5. Are/Were you interested in going to trade school? 44.0% said Yes 56.0% said No 6. You said you were not interested in going to trade school, why? (check all that apply) 66.1% said I don’t know enough about it 31.4% said I don’t think it will provide me with a better future 12.0% said I don’t think I’ll get a good job after trade school 6.7% said Kids who aren’t as smart go to trade school 17.3% said I don’t think it will help me earn good money 7. Did you learn a lot about trade school opportunities in high school? 37.8% said Yes 62.2% said No 8. Did your high school guidance counsellor discuss trade school with you? 31.5% said Yes 68.5% said No 9. Do you know the trade schools in your area? 42.2% said Yes 57.8% said No 10. Do you think traditional college gives you a better future than trade school? (check all that apply) 32.1% said YES after traditional college, I’ll earn more money than if I went to trade school 25.1% said YES after traditional college, I’ll get a better job than if I went to trade school 36.6% said YES after traditional college, I’ll have more career opportunities than if I went to trade school 35.0% said NO traditional college does not provide a better future than trade school 11. People who go to trade school: (Check all that apply) 9.3% said Weren’t that smart in high school 11.7% said Aren’t book smart 64.6% said Like to work with their hands 20.6% said Aren’t as good in traditional school subjects like English, History or Math 5.3% said Can’t read that well 17.2% said Don’t have a solid plan for their future 10.5% said Won’t make good money 20.4% said Go to trade school because it’s their only choice other than the military 12. True or False If you want a high paying job, you must go to traditional college instead of trade school? 33.7% said True 66.3% said False 13. Would you rather have a job as a teacher or a mechanic? 57.0% said Teacher 43.0% said Mechanic 14. Would you rather have a job as a barista or a welder? 50.1% said Barista 49.9% said Welder 15. Would you rather have a job as a local TV news or sports reporter OR an electrician? 56.0% said TV news or sports reporter 44.0% said Electrician 16. What do you think is the average yearly salary of a plumber in the U.S.? 13.50% said $20,000 a year 15.40% said $30,000 a year 16.40% said $40,000 a year 17.60% said $50,000 a year 14.30% said $60,000 a year 8.50% said $70,000 a year 7.10% said $80,000 a year 2.80% said $90,000 a year 4.40% said $100,000 a year or more 17. What do you think a welder on the job in the U.S. for 10 years can earn? 15.40% said $40,000 or less 16.40% said $50,000 18.40% said $60,000 15.20% said $70,000 34.50% said $80,000 or more 18. Who makes more money? 20.4% said Teacher 79.6% said Mechanic 19. Do you think you can get a high-paying job if you go to trade school? 79.0% said Yes 21.0% said No 20. Do you believe it’s easier to find and keep a job by going to a four-year college rather than a trade school? 46.7% said Yes 53.3% said No 21. Do you believe it’s more respectable to have a job working in an office or with your hands? 54.9% said People with office jobs get more respect 45.1% said People who work with their hands get more respect 22. Would you marry someone who is a skilled trade worker? 86.3% said Yes 13.7% said No 23. Do you believe students attending trade schools are not as smart as those attending four-year colleges? 25.1% said Yes 74.9% said No 24. Do you believe students attending trade schools are not as motivated as those attending four-year colleges? 25.1% said Yes 74.9% said No 25. Do you believe students attending trade schools come from lower income families than those attending four-year colleges? 40.4% said Yes 59.6% said No 26. Do you believe student debt is the price you pay to get a college education? 65.3% said Yes 34.7% said No *Please cite Metal Supermarkets as the source for this survey. Metal Supermarkets Metal Supermarkets is the world’s largest small-quantity metal supplier with over 100 brick-and-mortar stores across the US, Canada, and United Kingdom. We are metal experts and have been providing quality customer service and products since 1985. At Metal Supermarkets, we supply a wide range of metals for a variety of applications. Our stock includes: mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, tool steel, alloy steel, brass, bronze and copper. We stock a wide range of shapes including: bars, tubes, sheets, plates and more. And we can cut metal to your exact specifications. Visit one of our 100+ locations across North America today. Share: E-Mail Related blog articles Metal Pipe: Steel vs Copper Pipe Visit Us at The Construction Expo Local Entrepreneur Brings Metal Supermarkets To Ventura County