Median Salary: $47,760
Embalming is the ideal career path for anyone who enjoys working alone. While preparing the deceased for viewing all alone in a dark basement sounds like the setting of a horror movie, it can be much better than having to deal with nosy colleagues.
It may not be the job for everyone though, as most people wouldn’t be able to stomach working with dead bodies. However, the job pays well and only requires an associate’s degree to apply.
Acoustic Ceiling Tile Installer
Median Salary: $45,700
Who knew that rooms with particularly good acoustics were installed intentionally? Acoustic ceiling tile installers do just that. They’re responsible for installing acoustical tiles and other shock-absorbing materials to walls and ceilings.
The purpose of these installations could be either to reduce the sound in a room or to reflect the sound to improve acoustics. With no education requirements, music lovers flock to this odd job!
Seismograph Shooter
Median Salary: $46,250
Have a fascination with explosives? Then you may want to consider a job as a seismograph shooter. This job allows you to set off explosives, intended to loosen the ground so that seismograph readings can be performed. There are a number of reasons this is done, but most often it’s done to reveal petroleum deposits.
In addition to a high school diploma, applicants will also need lengthy job training that includes five years of apprenticeship. The industry is expected to see a 6% job growth increase between now and 2028.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator
Median Salary: $47,760
Once we flush the toilet, we rarely think about where our waste goes. However, it has to go somewhere and when it gets there, someone has to deal with it. That’s where a wastewater treatment plant operator comes into play. It’s a dirty job, but it needs to be done.
At least when you have to deal with sewage all day, the pay is decent. Even though the industry is expected to see a 5% drop in job growth by 2028, it’s one that is guaranteed to always be around.
Dinkey Operator
Median Salary: $49,330
A dinkey operator is responsible for controlling the dinkey engine, which is a small locomotive engine used to draw trains along railway tracks.
They’re often used to transport large materials like rocks, coal, and timber in construction areas, industrial plants, quarries, and similar areas. The only qualifications include a high school diploma and on-the-job training.