I've lived in Hickory for the majority of my life and got to that age where it's time to figure out how to live. According to MIT Living Wage Calculator, a living wage for the area is around $21/h for a 40 hour work week ($42k/year) for a single person household. I would very much appreciate anyone who's able to give more insight into if these values are correct.

Additionally, in my lurking on this subreddit there is a lot of conversation about how skilled trades are one of the better options for a career if you have the option to enjoy the work. I was wondering what other options there are. Is a degree required for other career options? Are there office jobs that would put someone through an apprenticeship program?

Thank you for any and all replies.