"It Pays Really Well, But Your Lifestyle Suffers": Workers Are Revealing Their Jobs That Actually Pay Extremely Well Because They're Incredibly Dangerous, And I Didn't Realize The Pay Was THIS MUCH

The job market is ROUGH these days. Too many people are out of work, and most people with jobs aren't earning enough to make ends meet.

Recently, Reddit user Vlederic_KAI asked, "What job pays ridiculously well simply because nobody wants to do it?" Almost 2,000 people replied — here are some of the best and most interesting jobs:

1. "Tower crane operators in NYC make upwards of $450,000. You climb up in the morning and don’t come down until it’s time to go home. It's scary as heck all the way up there."

2. "Kitchen exhaust cleaner. I've cleaned globs of grease and vacuumed very disgusting-looking water. Great pay, gross work."

—moonxenvy

3. "An underwater welder is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. There's a risk of decompression sickness mixed with electric shock, and most people only last 3-5 years because of the physical toll the job takes on their bodies. It's also one of the highest-paying jobs in the world. If you aren't afraid of the deep ocean or electricity and want to make good money in a short period of time, this job may be for you."

4. "Wastewater maintenance mechanics make six figures in union-dominant states in the Midwest."

—eyehateeveryone666

5. "Touring with major bands as part of the road staff and crew often work 16+ hour days and leave your home for months at a time. But if you stay in the business for more than a few years, you can clear six figures while only working seven or eight months a year."

6. "The people who repair wind turbines make a lot because of the danger."

—Casulex

7. "Alaskan fishermen. The guys on Deadliest Catch can clear $50,000 for just a couple of months of work."

8. "Oil field work is in the middle of nowhere, and it's very physically taxing. It pays really well, but your lifestyle suffers."

9. "Merchant marines — under the US flag at least. Straight out of the four-year college program, you can make $140,000 a year. Captains make at least an excess of $300,000. If you move up to harbor pilot, then it's between $500,000 and a million."

—Denode

10. "I had a neighbor back in the day who was a bridge painter and made so much money. Apparently, you have to be cool with crazy heights, and not everyone is cut out for it."

11. "I install septic tanks. I’m the lowest on the ladder, but I still make $30/hour for really easy work. I stand around with a laser level and glue a couple of pipes together."

—Suspicious-Dog2876

12. "I was a crisis psychiatric nurse working with the most ill patients. It was extremely rewarding, but it was also very dangerous in my facilities. We were quite well-compensated for our area, and I would often receive nice bonuses for going in for a few extra hours."

13. "Sailing on cargo vessels makes a lot of money because no one wants to be out at sea for 3-6 months at a time."

—tripmiester

14. "Linemen are paid pretty well, especially if they're on emergency response crews. But it’s hard work because of the heights, being carried through the air via rope and harness out of a helicopter to energize and update transmission lines, bare hand and live line work, etc."

16. "Air traffic controllers in the US make a ton of money because it's one of the most stressful jobs on the planet. Hundreds of flights a day, tens of thousands of vital communications, and millions of lives that can be impacted by your mistakes. You barely get any breaks and have truly zero free time on the job. It's so high-pressure that you are required by law to retire at 56 due to the strain it puts on your body and mind."

17. "There’s a plastics manufacturing plant in my city that pays unskilled workers a better-than-union wage because the workplace is so hot (86°F) all the time."

—Getoff_My_Lon_Cheney

18. "Programming on some very old legacy computer systems."

19. "I used to shovel snow off rooftops in Sweden. It was extra work while I was in college, but it paid insanely well for being something that required zero training. Whenever the call came, I would drop everything."

—gabrielniedermeyer

20. And finally, "I had a relative who used to clean out the waste tanks under roadside rest stop toilets. It sounds simple, but animals and stuff would get down in there before they had proper running water at all these places."

Do you know of a job that pays ridiculously well because nobody wants to do it? Share it in the comments or use the anonymous form below:

Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.