Lund says one of the biggest surprises in her research was the number of employers who said they were having difficulty finding highly skilled, blue collar workers. She speculates this is because in the push for every American to have a college degree, blue collar work is being overlooked as a viable career option. But not only is it viable — it’s lucrative. Lund cited one oil company that, because of a shortage in qualified workers, was offering $150,000 to welders to work on underwater pipelines. But since underwater welding might not be for everyone, here are other in-demand blue collar jobs that pay higher than average wages: building inspectors, electricians, elevator installers and repairers, manufacturing technicians and aircraft mechanics.