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That depends on whether or not your trade requires some sort of qualifacation or not and whether your high school or surrounding area offers free courses in it. (Occasionally folks will pay to train you, if you meet minimum qualifacations, but you also must work for them for some years).

Otherwise, you wind up going to school a couple more years. You are still likely going to start work 2-3 years sooner than someone going for a 4 year degree.

Technically, some really need to go through an apprenticeship. Plumbers take a while. Most also need to go to a trade school. Your point about a head start stands though. Plus its very hard to ship those jobs overseas.

Conversely, leverage allows you to make more money, and if you can use education as leverage to put you into a six-figure-a-year career trajectory, that's going to pay off.