From Yahoo Finance: 2025-03-23 08:14:00

As a 19-year-old auto mechanic, you may be making around $58,000 annually. Considering that the median weekly U.S. wage is nearly $62,000, you may want to explore higher-paying career paths. Men with bachelor’s degrees earn $900,000 more in median lifetime income than those with high school diplomas, while women earn $630,000 more.

College may lead to higher earnings, but the costs can be significant. The average cost of public, in-state college tuition is $11,011, not including room and board. If you’re more interested in trade work, skipping college for a training program may be a viable option. It’s important to assess the return on investment in education.

Exploring new career paths like wind turbine technicians or data scientists, with median annual pays of $61,770 and $108,020 respectively, could offer more long-term opportunities. Leveraging your current skills in time management, problem-solving, and customer service can help you succeed in a new, more fulfilling and financially rewarding job.



Read more at Yahoo Finance: I’m 19, a mechanic and realized my job has limits. How can I assess my career path and maximize my financial growth?