Here are certain jobs that nobody dreams of doing when they grow up. “Somebody’s gotta do it”, but that doesn’t stop people from praying that “someone” won’t be them. What’s surprising, however, is how much money some of these stigmatized jobs actually pay people who man up and do them. So if you’re on the fence about where your financial future is headed, stop and consider any of the shockingly lucrative jobs that follow.
[NOTE: We realize that there are, technically, people who do want these jobs. The point is to spotlight jobs with stigmas attached to them that pay more than the typical person would think.]
1) Crab fisherman
Featured on the Discovery Channel’s hit TV series “Deadliest Catch”, the job of crab fisherman is often called the most dangerous in America. Fishing in frigid Alaskan waters, these brave spirits weather stormy seas, below-freezing temperatures, and the heartache of being away from home for months. The short crab season makes it imperative that they catch as many crabs as possible during that short window. However, this can become astonishingly lucrative once one gets the hang of of it. According to one estimate, even a somewhat experienced crab fisherman can catch as many as $50,000 worth of crabs in an 8 week period.
2) Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterologists are seen by almost every patient they treat as a necessary evil. This is unlikely to change, as virtually no one gets excited about going in for a colonoscopy or an invasive prostate exam. Worse yet, almost all of a gastroenterologist’s time is spent performing these same, routine, unchanging procedures that everyone dreads having. The only saving grace appears to be the eye-popping salary. According to Salary.com, a gastroenterologist can earn as much as $269,500 per year.
3) Podiatrist
Podiatry is another lucrative yet otherwise unappealing wing of medicine available to the open-minded job seeker. While Salary.com clocks the annual earnings potential of a podiatrist at $149,527, it will come at a steep price. Should you undertake this career, your days will be spent on such enthralling, rewarding tasks as dealing with ingrown toenails, bunions, and ulcers. As if that weren’t enough, you will also be snickered at by the elite “real doctors” (ie, those with MD degrees) while you toil away as a lowly DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.)
4) Accountant
Often stereotyped as “bean counters”, the accountant is seen as the prototypical “boring” person. Spending the workday digging through hordes of numbers, in a cramped office, under buzzing flourescent lights is just not what most people bargained for. Fortunately, this creates a massive opportunity for those who don’t mind such things! If you’re the kind of person who loves numbers and the quiet peace of being left alone, accounting could be a great fit. The average starting salary for an accountant is roughly $41,000, while the best and most experienced are known to pull down salaries of $200,000 or more.
5) Commissioned salesperson
90% of the job-seeking public have zero interest in jobs without a base salary. “Why would I work somewhere that doesn’t even guarantee me a paycheck?” is the common refrain. However, those who are bold and confident enough to take on a commissioned sales job can make an extremely comfortable living by doing so. The most successful salespeople at car dealerships, electronics stores, and investment banks, for example, regularly drum up $100,000 or more per year in commission.
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Here is a list of our favorite business magazines.
“but if you don’t live long enough to enjoy that money, or have to discard your principles, it’s simply not worth it for most people.”
nice and subtle…
I knew the rest was lies when I saw the author suggest that the “average IT person” makes 103k a year. In pesos?
I’m a administrator with the world’s largest bank, I handle 100+ servers and 4500+ workstations and program, and I don’t get paid even close.
It seems that your figures are blown out of porpotion.
For #6, that would be the average wage of an IT manager, cited last Thursday from New York times article with a similar subject matter and title as yours. Average Wage for IT is still $60,000, and that is from the third highest earning market, Austin, TX.
I have a friend who has #21 as an occupation, and he makes 1/2 of this for over twenty years of service to a large chain, unionized.
Should we all find new jobs??
Since when is 50k/year “well paying”???
As currently working in No 5. ya the money is OK. But you do sell your soul. If you had morels you wont after a couple of years.
“but if you don’t live long enough to enjoy that money, or have to discard your principles, it’s simply not worth it for most people.”
Way to display your ignorance!
Frankly, most soldiers won’t “discard their principles” to NOT reenlist (current rate = 98)
Of course, we don’t have to brainwash them or threaten them like the leftist commutards have to brainwash or threaten their minions.
Subtlety only counts in horsehoes and hand grenades.
Gastroenterologist is NOT an “overlooked” profession by any means. It is a sub-specialty of Internal Medicine, and one of THE most competitive, ask any random Internal Medicine resident and chances are they are applying for GI, not that they are going to get in.
And you all are welcome - from the few of us that protect all of your freedoms most people take for granted. Damn skippy military people earn their salaries, much more than corporate CEO’s and lobbyists.
From unwanted job number 22:
“This walks readers through both the nature of the work and the process of actually getting into the field.”
Ummmm….there doesn’t seem to be a link there. Is there supposed to be a link?
I think you need to do some more research on crab fishing. The correct statement would be to say that on a good boat a crab fisherman can make $50,000 for the 8 weeks. Crab boats in actuality catch anywhere between 500,000 and 2,000,000 dollars worth of crab. So that is where you the 50,000 from when that is split with full share deck hands and minus fuel and other costs.
While the average annual earnings potential of a podiatrist cited in the list of jobs may be accurate, with many earning considerably more, the description of what a podiatrist does is roughly 20 years or more out-of-date. Podiatrists today are trained to perform reconstructive surgery; treat diabetic wounds of the foot, often saving limbs from amputation; treat injuries and fractures; diagnose and treat problems that may interfere with, or inhibit, sports performance or simple walking; and alleviate suffering and pain caused by problems and diseases of the lower extremity. If doing those things is boring, mundane and unappealing, then perhaps the person who would find them so should choose one of the other 24 jobs listed.
drug dealer
arms dealer
do they fall under sales?
Half these jobs pay less than $50k/year. That’s not “well-paying” in my book.
While this article was likely meant to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the mention of podiatry as a purposely-overlooked profession contains several inaccuracies. On behalf of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), I would like to respectfully educate you on the truths of the podiatric profession. To call a DPM degree “lowly,” and to say that DPMs are “snickered at” by MDs, is simply incorrect. The vast majority of MDs have a very positive, respectful relationship with podiatric physicians. Many MDs regularly refer their patients to a podiatrist when dealing with all types of foot and ankle conditions including diabetic foot ulcerations – which, when left untreated, can easily lead to amputation. A comprehensive diabetes foot care treatment plan can reduce amputation rates by as much as 45 percent to 85 percent! Additionally, podiatric physicians put in just as much schooling as MDs to achieve their medical degree. After attaining a four-year undergraduate degree, a DPM spends four years attaining a specialized DPM degree at one of eight prestigious podiatric medical schools around the country. The doctor must then complete a postdoctoral residency program at an accredited hospital or academic health center before formally going into practice. This residency lasts at least two years – oftentimes more.
Lastly, while “clipping toenails” is a very small part of the average podiatrist’s scope of practice and treatment, it is performed in the context of medically necessary care for patients that are at-risk of losing their limb because of serious diseases, such as diabetes and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). In the field of podiatry, practitioners can focus on many different and exciting specialty areas, including surgery, sports medicine, biomechanics, geriatrics, pediatrics, orthopedics or primary care.
As mentioned before, I am sure that the tone of this blog post was not meant to be taken too seriously. But to pigeonhole podiatry as a career that lacks both job rewards and appeal is regrettable and untrue.
About.com just added these 2 new employment sites to their top 10 list:
http://www.realmatch.com
http://www.linkedin.com
If you need to find work, good luck.
IT employee !!!!!!!! proud of it, plus you can make side income
Construction workers do not start at $49k a year. The link given goes to the pay rate for a project manager. Project managers are high level skilled worker with experience and supervisory ability. So that pay rate is not a typical entry level job for general construction. Mean annual pay for all construction is $40,620 and thats for all wage earners not starting pay. Low end wages start around $10 an hour.
see: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes470000.htm
“Gastroenterologist is NOT an “overlooked” profession by any means. It is a sub-specialty of Internal Medicine, and one of THE most competitive, ask any random Internal Medicine resident and chances are they are applying for GI, not that they are going to get in.”
VERY TRUE - but then again, this list was compiled by a simpleton who still derives great pleasure from fart jokes - as evidenced by the presence of gastroenterologist and proctologist on the list - both highly-desirable positions in real life.