In every industry, there are jobs that offer attractive salaries, yet they struggle to find willing candidates due to the demanding or undesirable nature of the work. These roles often require facing extreme conditions, unusual risks, or significant emotional burdens, making them less appealing despite the financial incentives.
Exploring these jobs sheds light on the complexities of balancing compensation against the sacrifices workers make in their professional lives. From the depths of the ocean to the isolation of the oil field, these positions challenge the bravery and resilience of even the most seasoned professionals
Oil Rig Worker
Oil rig workers face physically demanding and risky conditions, often working long hours in remote areas of the ocean. Despite earning an average of $75,000 a year, the isolation and danger associated with the job deter many. This role demands not only physical stamina but also mental resilience, as workers spend weeks to months away from home.
Crime Scene Cleaner
Earning up to $80,000 annually, these professionals must cope with the psychological burden of working in distressing environments. After law enforcement completes their investigation, crime scene cleaners step in to remove signs of what happened, including blood and other biohazards. The high pay reflects the necessary stomach for handling potentially traumatic scenes.
Exterminator
This career choice is a necessary role that offers job security and decent pay but attracts few due to its unpleasant nature. Exterminators deal with pests ranging from insects to rodents, earning about $35,000 to $50,000 annually. The job not only requires handling potentially dangerous chemicals but also confronting creatures that many people would rather avoid.
High-Rise Window Washer
High-rise window washers brave extreme heights to keep the glass facades of skyscrapers clean, earning upwards of $40,000 annually. The inherent risks of working many stories above the ground, coupled with the physical demands of the job, limit its appeal. However, for those unbothered by heights, it can be a well-paying and rewarding occupation.
Portable Toilet Cleaner
This job’s unappealing nature, dealing with human waste and often unsanitary conditions, makes it a less desired career despite the good pay. Workers in this industry who are responsible for cleaning and maintaining portable toilets can earn surprisingly competitive salaries, often around $50,000 per year. Those in the profession can find steady work at outdoor events, construction sites, and public spaces.
Sanitation Worker
Despite the job’s crucial role in maintaining public health and cleanliness, the physical demands and less-than-glamorous nature of the work keep the applicant pool small. Sanitation workers perform an essential public service by collecting and disposing of garbage and recycling, with salaries often exceeding $40,000 a year. These workers face early morning hours and exposure to all weather conditions and waste materials.
Sewer Inspector
Sewer inspectors ensure that underground sewer systems are free from obstruction and damage, navigating through tight, often unpleasant conditions. With salaries that can exceed $60,000, the job offers financial stability but requires workers to endure strong odors and potentially hazardous conditions. Few people are eager to take on a role that involves daily encounters with sewage.
Mortician
Being a Mortician is a profession that demands a blend of emotional detachment and compassion, deterring many potential candidates. Morticians prepare bodies for burial or cremation and often handle other aspects of funeral services, earning around $50,000 to $60,000 per year. Despite the job’s decent pay and stability, the need to manage both the technical aspects of body preparation and the emotional weight of grieving families makes this a challenging career choice.
Alaskan Crab Fisherman
The dangerous seas and freezing temperatures make crab fishing in Alaska among the most perilous jobs, highlighted in media like the show “Deadliest Catch.” Fishermen can earn tens of thousands of dollars during the crab seasons, which last just a few weeks. The high earning potential is balanced by the significant risk of injury or death, which discourages many.
Commercial Diver
Commercial divers who perform underwater work on structures such as oil platforms, ship hulls, or bridge foundations earn averages of $50,000 to $100,000 per year. The job is physically demanding and comes with significant risks, including decompression sickness and drowning. Despite the adventure and decent pay, the danger and skill requirements keep the field niche.
Iron and Steel Worker
This job’s demanding nature and danger level make it less appealing despite the necessity and financial reward.Iron and steel workers are critical in the construction of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructures, with earnings potential from $50,000 to $70,000. Iron and Steel Workers work at great heights and in all weather conditions, performing physically exhausting tasks that pose a significant risk of injury.
Stunt Performer
The physical risks and irregular work schedules for this profession make this a high-stakes career choice that few are willing to pursue. Stunt performers in films and television shows put themselves in harm’s way to create exciting scenes, earning anywhere from $70,000 to well over $100,000, depending on the gig. It requires not only physical fitness but also a certain thrill-seeking personality.
Tower Climber
Despite the pay, the fear of heights and high-risk factors make this a less chosen path. Telecommunications tower climbers install and maintain antennas and other equipment on towers, with earnings typically around $50,000 to $70,000 a year. The job demands climbing hundreds of feet into the air, often under challenging weather conditions, making it one of the more dangerous trades.
Meat Processor
This work can be both physically demanding and psychologically taxing, as it involves direct interaction with the realities of meat production. Workers in meat processing plants are responsible for slaughtering animals and preparing meat products, earning between $25,000 and $40,000. The industry is often hiring due to a regular shortage of willing workers.
Hazardous Material Remover
Specializing in the cleanup of sites contaminated by hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, and radioactive waste, these workers earn an average of $50,000 annually. The job requires stringent safety protocols and can pose significant health risks over time. High pay reflects the dangers and essential nature of the work, but not many are eager to enter the field.
Forensic Entomologist
While the pay and the contribution to forensic science are significant, the niche specialization and nature of the work limit its appeal. Forensic entomologists apply their knowledge of insects to help solve crimes, with potential earnings of $60,000 or more. They analyze the presence of insects at crime scenes to help determine the time and circumstances of death.
Elevator Installer and Repairer
This high-paying job, with salaries often starting from $70,000 to over $100,000, involves installing, repairing, and maintaining elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and other lifts. The combination of technical skills required and the dangers associated with the job contribute to fewer people choosing this career path. The work is not only physically demanding but also involves a high degree of risk, particularly when working in elevator shafts.
Long-Haul Truck Driver
Long-haul truck drivers can earn substantial incomes, often over $60,000, by transporting goods over great distances. The job requires long, irregular hours and extended periods away from home, contributing to a lifestyle that many find unappealing. Despite the opportunity to see different parts of the country, the solitude and strain of long hours on the road deter many potential drivers.
Gastroenterologist
As a specialist in the digestive system, gastroenterologists earn among the highest salaries in the medical field, often exceeding $300,000 annually. The job requires an extensive amount of education and training, dealing with a range of uncomfortable procedures and sensitive health issues. While financially rewarding, the path to becoming and the daily responsibilities of a gastroenterologist are not for everyone.
Nuclear Power Reactor Operator
Operators of nuclear power reactors are well-compensated, typically earning about $100,000 per year due to the high level of technical skill and responsibility involved. The job requires constant vigilance and precision to ensure the safe generation of nuclear energy. However, the potential for catastrophic consequences and public scrutiny dissuades many from pursuing this career.
Underwater Welder
One of the most dangerous professions in the world, Underwater Welding offers high pay but requires facing extreme risks, including explosions, decompression sickness, and drowning. Welders can earn up to $100,000 or more depending on their experience and the complexity of their tasks. The unique combination of skills required, coupled with the high risks, keeps the number of practitioners relatively low.
Geriatric Psychiatrist
Specializing in the mental health of the elderly, geriatric psychiatrists deal with complex, often depressing cases that can include dementia and depression. They play a critical role in addressing the mental health needs of an aging population, with potential earnings of over $200,000. The field requires a high degree of emotional resilience and patience, making it a less chosen specialty despite the increasing demand.
Mining Engineer
Mining engineers, who earn between $70,000 and $100,000, work in one of the foundational industries of the global economy, ensuring the extraction of minerals necessary for various sectors. They often work in remote and potentially dangerous environments, which can involve underground and surface mines. The high salary compensates for the hazardous working conditions and the significant amount of travel and relocation often required.
