Shortage signal, by state

Each tile is a state, shaded by how tight the market is for Electrical — postings and structural pressure measured against the local workforce. Select a state to rank its trades below.

Ranked by state TDI. Wage is adjusted to local cost of living, so a lower headline number can still mean more take-home.

Trade vs. college,
net of debt

Cumulative earnings minus outstanding debt, from age 18, starting from Electrical’s real median wage. The trade path earns from day one; the degree path pays tuition first, then catches up — sometimes. Move the sliders.