All 8 licensed trades ranked by time-to-license, upfront cost, and entry difficulty — so you can find the fastest path to a trade career.
| Rank | Trade | Time to license | Median salary | Entry difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | EMT / Paramedic | 3 months to 2 years | $36,680/yr | Fastest | 3–6 months for EMT-Basic; NREMT is nationally portable |
| #2 | Cosmetologist | 1–2 years | $33,700/yr | Fast | 1–2 years; school-based, no apprenticeship required |
| #3 | HVAC Technician | ~4 years | $57,300/yr | Moderate | 4 years + EPA 608 federal cert; NATE adds credibility |
| #4 | Plumber | ~4 years | $59,880/yr | Moderate | 4 years; UPC/IPC exam; strong union support via UA |
| #5 | Electrician | ~4 years | $61,000/yr | Moderate | 4 years; NEC-based exam; IBEW JATC is widely available |
| #6 | Pipefitter | ~5 years | $61,550/yr | Moderate–hard | 5 years; welding certs often needed; mostly union entry |
| #7 | General Contractor | 2–4 years | $98,000/yr | Complex | Requires experience + bond + insurance + business setup |
| #8 | Elevator Mechanic | 4–5 years | $99,640/yr | Hard to enter | Highly competitive IUEC entry; 4–5 year paid apprenticeship |
EMT-Basic certification takes 3–6 months and roughly 120–150 training hours. It is the only trade on this list where you can go from zero experience to a licensed, employed professional in under a year. The NREMT exam is nationally recognized, making your credential portable to nearly every state.
The tradeoff: EMT-Basic pay ($36,680/yr median) is the lowest on this list. Paramedic training requires an additional 1–2 years and significantly increases earnings and scope of practice.
Cosmetology is unique among these trades: you train in an accredited school program (1–2 years) rather than accumulating employer-supervised hours. Programs are complete and structured, and federal financial aid is available for accredited schools. The practical and written board exams are well-defined and preparable.
Pay ($33,700/yr median) is lower, but the path to booth rental ownership or salon ownership is accessible within a few years of licensing.
These three trades all require approximately 4 years of supervised apprenticeship experience and a state exam based on a national code (NEC for electricians, UPC/IPC for plumbers, state mechanical code + NATE for HVAC). All three have active union apprenticeship programs that are tuition-free and pay wages during training.
HVAC ranks slightly easier to enter than plumber/electrician because the total time to license is the same but the exam — while rigorous — is somewhat more accessible for candidates without prior technical training. HVAC also benefits from the federal EPA 608 certification being a standalone step achievable early in training.
Pipefitting requires similar hours to the core three trades (8,000–10,000 hours, ~5 years in the UA program) but entry is more difficult because the IUEC apprenticeship controls most job access and acceptance is competitive. Welding certifications are often required on top of the base license.
General contractor licensing isn't just about hours and an exam — it requires business formation, bonding, insurance, and often demonstrated project management experience. The NASCLA exam helps with multi-state portability, but the total cost of getting licensed (bond, insurance, application fees) is significantly higher than other trades.
Elevator mechanic entry is controlled almost entirely by IUEC local acceptance. The apprenticeship is highly competitive, tied to local job openings, and entry windows are limited. The payoff is the highest median salary of any trade on this list ($99,640/yr) and strong union employment with full benefits.