Gen Z is increasingly turning away from college degrees in favor of skilled trade jobs, but new research reveals the trend may not be as secure as it seems.
A post-pandemic surge in trade school enrollment has been widely seen as a response to rising college costs, student loan debt, and the growing threat of white-collar job automation.
According to a 2024 Harris Poll for Intuit Credit Karma, 78 percent of Americans have noticed more young people entering trades like welding, plumbing, and electrical work.
For many, the appeal is clear: no student loans, the potential for six-figure salaries, and the ability to work independently in fields thought to be immune to artificial intelligence.
But a new WalletHub study paints a more complex picture. The report, which ranked the best and worst entry-level jobs in the US for 2025, shows that trade roles dominate the bottom of the list. Welders, automotive mechanics, boilermakers, and drafters rank among the least promising career starters.
The 10 worst entry-level jobs
Welder
Computer Numeric
Control Machine Programmer
Mechanical Drafter
Automotive Mechanic
Boilermaker Emergency
Dispatcher
Architectural Drafter
Telecommunications Technician
Die Maker
According to the researchers, these roles scored poorly due to limited job availability and weak growth potential, as well as their potentially hazardous nature.
Building inspectors, electricians, and plumbers were found to have the highest unemployment rate in the study, 7.2 percent, more than three times higher than entry-level office roles such as budget or financial analysts, which average around 2.0 percent.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo attributes this to economic volatility. “Trade jobs are closely tied to industries like construction and manufacturing,” Lupo said. “When these industries slow down, projects often get delayed or canceled, which can lead to job losses.”
He also warns that new technologies, including robotics and prefabrication, are starting to automate aspects of manual labor, reducing demand even in traditionally stable trades.
A separate study cited electricians as the least happy workers in the US, citing physically demanding conditions and long work hours without corresponding emotional or financial reward. Other trades, like construction workers and warehouse managers, also ranked low for job satisfaction due to unpredictable hours and high stress.
Geotechnical engineers, mine engineers, and drilling engineers were found to have the longest median job tenures, more than double that of many white-collar roles.
The new data suggests that the reality is far more complicated. Experts say young workers should weigh all risks, economic, physical, and personal, before trading the classroom for the job site.