6) IT employee
The term “IT employee” is a broad catch-all that encompasses programmers, network administrators, database engineers, and virtually any other job function pertaining to the use of technology. The demand for those skills has steadily risen since the 90’s and there seems to be no end in sight! Fortunately, there may not be as much competition for these jobs as you might think. Despite the average $103,400 salary, many people simply do not want to spend the day in an office cubicle.
7) Roughneck
For an average salary of $46,867, a roughneck can look forward to 12 hour days spent beneath an enormous oil drilling rig. There, they will find the work environment so noisy that they only communicate using hand signals, the air filled with swirling toxins and chemicals, and the most dangerous, backbreaking labor saved especially for them. A typical roughneck might find himself changing scalding hot drill pits or connecting new sections of pipe to one another. Those who can prove themselves capable of these tasks can rise to earn as much as $100,000 for specialized “supervisor” positions.
8 ) Crop duster pilot
Most people get their pilot’s license to realize their lifelong dreams of taking to the air and soaring high above the lowly ground below. Crop duster pilots, on the other hand, are a slightly different breed. Instead of cruising through the clouds, a crop duster pilot must skillfully navigate his small craft at a dangerously low level, making sure to avoid power lines and fence posts along the way. If he can survive this and continued exposure to toxic chemicals, an experienced crop duster can rake in up to $80,000 per year.
9) Iraq private security contractor
“Private security” makes most people think of the rent-a-cops who used to bother them as kids at the local shopping mall. In Iraq, however, the job description takes on a totally different (and dangerous) meaning. As a private security contractor in that area, people are literally asked to shield traveling diplomats and politicians from hostile enemy fire. And despite hundreds of private contractor deaths since the beginning of combat actions, people are still signing up in droves to collect the $10,000 per month fees. If you are willing to become a human shield to make a decent living for a while, this could be the opportunity you have been waiting for!
10) Trash collector
Being a trash man is a “somebody’s gotta do it” job if ever there was one, but depending on where you live, it can be a very high-paying gig. WikiAnswers.com clocks the starting salary of a New York City trash collector at a very respectable $80,000. The salary seems to decline the further south you go, bottoming out at $35,000 in Pensacola, Florida. Still, $35,000 right off the bat is nothing to sneeze at for emptying trash cans into a big truck.
“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.
To respond to Bob…I’m sure it was mostly sarcasm on your part but I read a study that shows that your average drug dealer on the street makes less than minimum wage for the number of hours they put in to their “business” and are often users, putting what they earn right back into their habit. That’s a big selling point in trying to keep high school students out of gangs and drugs. They all want money and movies glamorize the drug industry. The only one making money is the one on the top of the chain.
I can attest that I know commission only sales people can make a ton of money. It takes a lot of money and time though.
The figure about cropdusters is also incorrect. I am a farmer, and I worked for a pilot mixing chemicals. $80,000 would be a bad year; however this is a dying profession. Fuel prices, plus fertilizer/chemical prices are really hurting the agricultural avation sector. Most cropdusters use a turbo prop plane…an new pilot cannot even get insurance on a (used $350,000.00) turbo prop plane. Also advances by John Deere, Case, Ro-Gator, ect in the sprayer segment are taking the place of ag planes.
What the hell is wrong with that car sales guys mouth???
Commission only sales people are entrepreneurs and usually only take on what they think they can sell.
Great post!
Sales is often overlooked and yet it is the 3rd highest paying career (legal that is).
Proud to call it my livelihood for the last 25 years!
Paul Castain
Castain’s Sales Playbook
c friesen – why wouldnt i have morels after a year? is someone going to eat them?! oh no!
And it’s Jerry Maguire – come on!
You should have commissioned service plumber on this list. I hear they do quite well. But the long hours, paper work, variety of customers and homes, traffic jams and hostile drivers, crawl spaces, unsanitary conditions, and a multitude of other problems may scare some off.
The last couple of years an illiterate uneducated man could easily make $50 -$60k in the oilfields. The work is hot dirty and dangerous. But the cyclic nature of the industry has led to massive layoffs in the past 6 months. Right now virtually no one is hiring.
how did l get working there and the company we get the visa for me if l start working l will pay for it .from nigeria ,l need quick reply thanks
Some of these make sense but others don’t: there are alot of accountants and construction workers and truck drivers around.
john if you would read it, it says and i qote ” 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.” and not $50,000 a year
john said “Since when is 50k/year “well paying”???”
You’d have to be a pretty good salesman to get a commission like that.
Foot and ankle surgeons (podiatric surgeons) and general podiatrists go to medical school, then 2-4 years of residency and/or fellowship at prestigious hospitals, including Harvard teaching hospitals. the description depicted in this article is outdated and incorrect.
To respond to Bob…I’m sure it was mostly sarcasm on your part but I read a study that shows that your average drug dealer on the street makes less than minimum wage for the number of hours they put in to their “business” and are often users, putting what they earn right back into their habit. That’s a big selling point in trying to keep high school students out of gangs and drugs. They all want money and movies glamorize the drug industry.
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.
Talking about “Gastroenterologist is NOT an “overlooked” profession by any means”
It seems that your figures are blown out of porpotion.
For #6
Some of these make sense but others don’t: there are alot of accountants and construction workers and truck drivers around. anyone dissagree or agree?