The spookiest jobs and what they pay, according to PayScale
PayScale is out with its spookiest jobs of 2019 salary list just in time for the scariest day of the year not withstanding Tax Day. And while the unemployment rate might not be so scary, these jobs are.
“Has someone in the night ever taken your blood or sliced you open? Chances are he or she was a nocturnist,” says Sudarshan Sampath, director of research at PayScale. A hospital-based physician who only works overnight takes the top spot on the list with an annual salary of $172,000.
Blood bank manager comes in at No. 2, earning an average of $77,700 a year. Sampath says the job — held by more than 350,000 people nationwide — is more important than ever. “As hospitals continually struggle to meet demands to prevent blood shortages, blood bank managers serve an important role in overseeing and maintaining blood donations,” he said.
Forensic scientists earn an average of $58,000 a year, taking the fourth spot on the list. “Getting up close and personal with the dark side of humanity can be scary, but forensic scientists can offer invaluable insight into criminal investigations,” Sampath noted.
Insect-loving entomologists are number 5 on the list. The scientists who study the creepy crawlies make a median annual salary of $49,700.
It’s said that death and taxes are the only certainties in life, and morticians know this all too well. There are about 27,000 in the field, earning an average of $46,500 a year. “Working with corpses all day may sound dreadful, but morticians offer such an important service. Remember, they aren't just working with the dead - but also with people who have just lost a loved one,” Sampath said.
Crime scene cleaning is a dirty job, but the brave individuals who do it command a salary of $33,800 per year. Sampath notes that not only do they know how to handle hazardous materials carefully and methodically, they also probably have “the best tricks on how to remove tough stains.”
Butchers, with a median salary of $31,900, are next on the list, but if the Beyond Meat (BYND) and Impossible Foods craze continues, it could mean trouble for the profession.
Rounding out the list and earning about $30,000 per year is gravedigger. Though it’s a morbid career, Sampath reminds Yahoo Finance that every job has its bright spots. “While it may sound off-putting to most, a gravedigger often gets to work alone in scenic outdoor settings while getting hands-on experience operating heavy equipment and machinery.”
The data for the PayScale list comes from 10,832 employee salary profiles of U.S. workers that were completed between October 2017 and October 2019.
Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.
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