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Most of the highest paying jobs that no one wants to work are blue-collar jobs. Working in the trades can sound intimidating, but it comes with great benefits, high pay, and job security.
Despite the pros, not a lot of people turn to the trades. If you’re feeling stuck, you may want to consider one of these highest paying jobs that offer financial stability and career growth.
We chose jobs where you could earn at least $25 an hour to curate this list of high-paying jobs. These jobs are also high in demand. To find out how in demand, we used Indeed and ZipRecruiter.
With that, check out these 15 high-paying jobs that nobody seems to want.
1. Electrician
We need electricians. As older electricians retire, a huge gap is left. Dealing with electricity, though, is intimidating and dangerous, sometimes even deadly. The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI) found that between 2011 and 2022, 1,322 people died because of electricity in the workplace.
In other words, there is a lot of risk. Still, electricians make good money. The average base pay for an electrician in the U.S. is $29.09. This is around $60,000 a year, not including overtime and bonuses.
2. Plumber
Plumbers make really good money. Although true, plumbing is rarely pushed as a career in high school. However, the average plumber in the U.S. makes $29.13 per hour. With overtime, a plumber can easily reach $100,000 a year.
So, why do people avoid this job? Some common complaints are the long working hours and the idea of being dirty. While plumbing isn’t the most glamorous industry, it’s a good-paying and respectable one. We would fall apart without plumbers!
3. HVAC Technician
We can’t mention plumbers and electricians and ignore HVAC technicians. This is another high-paying job most people don’t pay attention to. But you should!
HVAC technicians make around $28.55 an hour. On the high end, they can make nearly $50 an hour. Also, once you have your HVAC certifications, you can take on many different roles.
4. Truck Driver
Truck drivers make the world go round. They deliver our food, medicine, clothes, building supplies, and more. Truck drivers make good money because of the long hours and the risk.
On average, truck drivers make $35.37 an hour—nearly $2,000 a week! This in-demand job is easy to break into, and some companies even pay for special licenses.
5. Mortician
Morticians don’t have glamorous jobs either. However, they have an important one. People avoid them because they think they’re ‘dirty’ or ‘strange.’
Working with the bodies of past loved ones is hard. It isn’t a career path for everyone. You definitely need the stomach to handle it. Morticians aren’t millionaires. Still, they make good money, averaging about $64,464 a year.
6. Dental Hygienist
There is a huge shortage in the dental industry. As the older professionals retire, a huge shortage is left behind. This is especially true for dental hygienists.
As a dental hygienist, you can earn as much as $66.42 an hour, but the average hourly pay is $49.31.
7. Coal Miner
Mining jobs are everywhere, and they are always looking for people. Still, many avoid this career because of the risks and the stigma. Sadly, some people see coal mining jobs as beneath them.
I wonder if they would think the same, knowing coal miners make an average of $99,128 annually.
8. Elevator Repair Technician
Another great and high-paying job nobody wants is an elevator repair technician. It’s funny that some of the most needed jobs are the ones people don’t think twice about.
Elevator repair technicians work long hours. They are sometimes placed on call rotations, where they are available 24/7 a few times a month. Elevator repair technicians are paid well for their efforts. On average, they make about $72,142 a year.
9. Proctologist
Have you ever heard of a proctologist? This specialized doctor focuses on colon and rectal issues. While proctologists make a lot of money, they also spend a lot of time in school.
This job can also be seen as gross because of what the doctor focuses on. If you don’t mind colon and rectal issues, look into proctology. Proctologists earn anywhere from $150,000 to $500,000.
10. Underwater Welder
Underwater welding is risky. Anything can go wrong. Some of the more common risks associated with underwater welders are explosions, electrocutions, drownings, and decompression sickness.
The risks are why underwater welders make so much money. This career also requires a lot of certifications and safety practices. Underwater welders earn between $14.66 and $30.05 an hour.
11. Oil Rig Worker
Oil rig work is not for the fainthearted. It’s physically and mentally draining. Oil rig workers spend long hours on the rig away from their loved ones in hazardous conditions.
Working on an oil rig in the ocean is terrifying and lonely. You’re sometimes working two weeks straight, twelve-hour days. So, is the pay worth it? On average, oil rig workers earn over $27 an hour.
12. Garbage Collector
The pay of a garbage collector is tricky. It ranges an absurd amount and depends on the company. This essential job is often seen as dirty. It isn’t the most fun or prettiest work, but the pay and benefits talk for themselves.
Garbage collectors make anywhere from $16 to $30 an hour. Many choose this career for its benefits. They can work for private businesses or the government.
13. Carpenter
Another trade job makes our list, and for good reason. Many frown upon this high-paying career. Many carpenters work under the hot sun for long 8—to 12-hour days.
This back-breaking job is also risky. There is a lot of danger as carpenters climb on tall roofs and work with hazardous materials and harsh chemicals. Carpenters can make $62,131 a year. This number goes up for business owners.
14. Technical Writer
There is a surprisingly high demand for technical writers. This cushiony indoor job doesn’t attract as many people as you’d think. Technical writing is a specific skill that not all writers learn.
Technical writers can make very good money. You can either work for a company or as a freelancer. Technical writers make an average of $64,740 a year. On the high end, they can make $104,000.
15. Registered Nurse
Registered nurses make good money but deserve a lot more. They are the unsung heroes of the medical field. And there are way more jobs open than there are nurses to fill them.
This is because becoming a registered nurse takes time and money. Also, registered nurses are often short-staffed, which can lead to burnout. These negatives drive people away from their careers despite the money. Registered nurses earn about $93,899 a year.
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