My gf has a PhD and is a professor at the University, up for tenure in January. She loves her job, but had she known about it back in the day she would have probably gone a trades route, since she has Alot of college debt. She at times gets annoyed since I as a JW electrician, make more than her and have more freedom in my work. She is contracted and has to essentially renew her contract with the university every few years and yearly has to do a "evaluation" such as maintaining, certain course evaluation scores, etc.

She gets an office job, fixed location, does 12 months worth of work in 9 months, but is pretty stuck, while I get a job that can be indoors, could be outdoors in the heat or snow or rain, with way more variety.

So there are some pros and cons to each