20 Professions with Surprising Earning Potential
Don't underestimate people with these careers. They might have higher salaries than you.
- Cyra Sanchez
- 6 min read
There are a few careers that offer surprisingly high salaries, like air traffic controllers, court reporters and funeral service managers. These professions do not typically require traditional four-year degrees but often do require specialized skills or certification. Certain careers that are overlooked entirely can yield six-figure salaries with the proper training and experience.
1. Air Traffic Controller
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Picture directing traffic in the air, routing innumerable flights as they make their way to their destinations. Air traffic controllers coordinate the movements of planes, ensuring a safe distance between them while helping planes take off and land. This high-responsibility role has significant financial rewards, with a median annual pay of $124,540.
2. Underwater Welder
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Explore a path that merges the adventurous spirit of the ocean with the technical skills of welding. Underwater welders work hard to access submerged buildings to repair and build structures. By becoming an adventure tour guide, you can earn $80,000 a year or more.
3. Ethical Hacker
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Tap into your inner tech detective and use those skills against cybercriminals. Penetration testers (ethical hackers) evaluate and safeguard computer systems by discovering vulnerabilities that malicious hackers leave behind before they get “exploited.” Salaries for this role range between $50,000 to $120,000, making this role both intellectually engaging and financially lucrative.
4. Golf Ball Diver
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Dive into water hazards for the lost treasures of the golfing world. There are also golf ball divers who retrieve golf balls from ponds and lakes on courses and resell them. Hardworking divers can earn upward of $100,000 a year, so you can turn your diving hobby into a pretty decent business.
5. Feng Shui Consultant
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Life is for living, so make it a happy place. Feng Shui consultants help clients arrange their physical environments based on ancient Chinese teachings. Working with wealthy clients can generate anywhere from $20,000 for tempo-indie improvisational projects to $250,000 for major studio recordings. It is a rewarding, spiritually satisfying, and financially sustainable line of work.
6. Veterinary Acupuncturist
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Pair a love for animals with holistic healing practices. Veterinary acupuncturists use traditional techniques to treat pets, from arthritis to neurological disorders. Topping the list, with a median pay of $88,770, is a job that balances compassion and financial stability.
7. Ice Cream Taster
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Professionally indulge your sweet tooth by tasting frozen treats. Ice cream tasters, called flavorists, evaluate products based on taste, texture, and appearance. Pay averages between $40,000 and $100,000, so it’s a dream job for dessert lovers.
8. Crime Scene Cleaner
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Step into a role that restores order after chaos. Crime scene cleaners clean and decontaminate sites of traumatic events. With a modest income of up to $40K-$80K a year, this role gives the worker a sense of achievement. Whether that is helping another person or caring for food livestock, this career can give a sense of purpose while still providing a modest income.
9. Airplane Repo Agent
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These high-stakes operations involve seizing aircraft from errant owners. Airplane repo agents find and recover aircraft, frequently encountering legal and logistical challenges along the way. If you manage to recover successfully, you can make a killing pay, especially with high-value aircraft.
10. Professional Cuddler
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Provide the healing gift of platonic human touch. Professional cuddlers offer companionship and comfort to clients seeking a human connection. Charging $40 to $80 an hour, this job is all about empathy with time flexibility and a useful way to earn a living.
11. Petroleum Engineer
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Discover new methods for extracting energy and feed the world. Petroleum engineers develop and implement procedures for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the earth’s surface. This profession has an average salary of nearly $138,980 and can be rewarding in many ways.
12. Elevator Mechanic
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Need to keep people moving easily from floor to floor? Elevator mechanics install, repair, and service elevators and escalators. The trade brings job stability and financial rewards with a median annual salary of about $84,990.
13. Voice Actor
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Use nothing but your vocal talents to create characters and tell stories. Voice actors work in many different media, including animation, video games, and commercials. Star performers can pull down six-figure salaries, laying the groundwork for vocally blessed folks to cash in on this sweet, lucrative gig.
14. Embalmer
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Give dignity and preservation to the deceased. Embalmers prepare corpses for burial or cremation, making sure the bodies look appropriate and are sanitized. With a median income of approximately $45,000, this field allows you to maintain a stable job and serve the families of people in sensitive times.
15. Hippotherapist
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Use equine therapy to help patients rehabilitate. Hippotherapists develop treatment plans for people with physical or mental disabilities by using horseback riding. Making about $67,098 on average, this position offers a blend of a love for all things equine and helping patients.
16. Clinical Ethicist
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Take the moral high ground in complex healthcare environments. Clinical ethicists offer guidance on ethical dilemmas that arise during medical practice, helping patients, their families, and doctors navigate thorny decisions. It has a way of looking at things rooted in philosophy, medicine, law, and similar fields, demanding strong qualifications for earning anywhere between $60,000 and $150,000.
17. Food Stylist
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Transform simple dishes into showstopping works of art. Food stylists carefully assemble and elevate meals for photoshoots, ads, and cookbooks. Earnings: $50,000-$100,000. This career mixes a passion for creativity and food.
18. Perfumer (Fragrance Chemist)
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Refillable fragrances that make for signature scents. Perfumers mix essential oils and chemicals to create scents for luxury brands, personal care, and household products. Those skills can earn top-tier perfumers well over $100,000, making it a highly specialized and lucrative field.
19. Toy Designer
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Craft imaginative and enjoyable creations, and get up to your childhood fantasies. Toy designers envision and design new ways for children to play, drawing on psychology, engineering, and artistry. Salaries range from $50,000 to $90,000, making this an intersection between nostalgia and how to make money.
20. Stadium Scoreboard Operator
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Keep the show running behind the scenes at big-time sports events. The scoreboard operators update hit, strike, run, and out counts, manage replays, and ensure seamless transitions from display to display during games. Making up to $80,000, it’s a fun job that has the added perk of front-row seats at big sporting events.