No money's to be had

[busker]

People thinking becoming a tradesman is easy but it takes just as long as getting a masters degree at a university.

Is just cheaper.


The real issue isn’t college vs trade school is wanting to work hard for little pay early. There aren’t many people willing to do that anymore so it’s a lot of grief. I mean, an obviously there are structural changes to the economy that have made it more difficult. But still I think hard work is a large determining factor in your outcome.

Good point.  Basic university degree, even advanced degree, could be work-study and arrive (tired) with degree *and* work experience after a year or two over par.  If the work-part was in the field of your major (engineering, for example), better yet.  Now it's full ride but arriving at the end with a tan, a diploma, and student debt rather than work experience.  The attitude of 'degree or nothing' and humanities preferred led to finance-debt for many and resentment for the debt.  For which a sense of entitlement was either foundation or result... or both, amplified.  (And we wonder why they riot!)

Tradesmen start making money earlier and have low or no debt (a uniquely American consideration), but also finish up earlier as the body gives way, and the vast majority don't make that much.
By contrast, degree holders in STEM have an almost infinite choice of high paying careers. Over time, the money they make vastly outstrips the trades option. It's not even a contest. 

So yes, if you want to make the big bucks in your twenties while the rest of your peers struggle, then by all means go for the trades.
If you want to have a decent amount of wealth in your forties, study engineering. It's not even close.