18 Gigs That Pay Well But People Are Picky About

2. Gastroenterologist

A gastroenterologist is a type of physician who specializes in the digestive system. So, if you get anything luck irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids or gastritis, you’ll see a gastroenterologist. This means they deal with an abundance of foul odors and unpleasant human waste in their day to day escapades. Although dirty, this profession is highly specialized and difficult to obtain.

The path to becoming a certified gastroenterologist takes a minimum period of 13 years. This time is punctuated with a mixture of formal classroom education and practical training. First, you need to obtain a medical degree which to pursue licensing. You achieve that with an initial four-year undergraduate college degree, followed by an additional four years at medical school.

Next up is a three-year residency in internal medicine, which is usually followed by a two- to three-year fellowship. For all of this nasty, icky work, these medical specialists receive a rather healthy salary of around $200,000 to $300,000 per year. So the next time you think of how bad you feel in your current role, consider the gastroenterologists performing colon screening exams today.

3. Drain and Sewer Inspection and Cleaning Supervisor

In most cases, human interaction with raw sewerage is something to avoid. However, there are those brave souls whose mission is to keep places clean of the things most people flush away. For them, dealing with the ghastly contents of drainage is just another day at the office. There are many factors that can cause drain blockage, such as discarded products that lodge in pipe systems.

Another issue is tree roots growing through drain runs. An increasing problem in the world is when people pour discarded fat being into large sewers in major cities. In most cases, they use a mechanical pump to minimize the amount of human operative interaction. This process is one of an unpleasant nature. Those who are tasked with having to inspect sewerage systems must wade through pools of toxic waste to check for flaws.

There are multiple options for unclogging a stuck drain. Through high-pressure jetting, pressurized water blasts away loose sediment like grease and sludge. Jets can vary in size and scope from anything between a mini-jetter for domestic tasks, to trailer-mounted jetters for large sewer lines. Another option is power snaking, which is passing a plumber’s snake through the pipe to grind up solid debris and blockages.

This is the is the most conventional method of dealing with drain clogs, although high-pressure jetting provides a more thorough clean compared to snaking alone. Another option is to administer a chemical cleaner, preferably enzyme or bacteria-based, to naturally break down organic waste.

Drain cleaners often work long shifts in uncomfortable environments. Daily exposure to toxic gases, unsanitary conditions and working within dark, crammed spaces makes the job somewhat undesirable. No direct source of natural light and a scarcity of oxygen can cause asphyxiation and breathing problems. These are risk factors to address via personal protective equipment.

If all that is not enough, if you have a fear of multi-legged critters such as bugs and mites, then you shouldn’t consider this profession. You will often encounter all manner of creepy crawlies including hordes of sewer rats. Also, you will need to watch out for life threating microorganisms and diseases.

If you think you have what it takes to clean society of its own filth, consider becoming a sewer and drain cleaner and inspector. According to BLS, drain cleaners earn around $40,000 to $50,000. Despite the obvious stigma that comes with it, it is a stable job for most young professionals. Lastly, there are reports of sewer workers encountering dead animals and humans while inspecting and cleaning blockages. This brings you to the next dirty occupation.

4. Embalmer

With this profession, you may conjure up such crass images of characters like The Undertaker from the WWE or Lurch from The Adams Family. But an embalmers job is one of meticulous detail. It’s multi-faceted, requiring more than just a steady hand and a strong stomach. A large part of the role is to preserve a person’s body until the burial or cremation.

However, another facet of the role is to help families mourn the loss of a loved one. They provide sensitive and tactful services to bereaved families. They must also have a keen awareness and respect for different religious beliefs. Working in a mortuary with cadavers can be draining for an embalmer.

And it’s literally draining because after disinfecting a body to prevent deterioration and infection, you must remove all the fluids and gases. Their work environment is stark and clinical. An embalmer spends long hours wearing protective clothing while handling harmful cleaning chemicals. The job can be dangerous because embalmers come in contact with various body fluids, so they risk encountering infectious diseases.

Embalmers also disinfect and preserve dead human bodies by injecting or applying antiseptics, disinfectants and preservative fluids. They also prepare human bodies for transportation in cases where death is due to contagious or infectious diseases. And an embalmer also uses derma-surgery or plastic art for restoring mutilated features, too.

To become an embalmer, consult your local state to check the requirements for obtaining a license as they vary from state-to-state. According to the BLS, the average income of an embalmer was $43,680 per year in 2012.

5. Coal Miner

The coal mining industry has been immortalized over the years in film and print. Thoughts of chiseled-bodied, sooty-faced, handsome men smiling and eating sandwiches come to mind. But, the reality is not the glitz and glamour Hollywood would have us believe. It’s no laughing matter that coal mining is one of the most dangerous professions on the planet.

Tragic deaths still occur at an uncomfortable level of regularity despite vast improvements within the industry safety standards. In Britain, according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures, coal mining is the most dangerous profession in the country. It’s even more dangerous than being a firefighter or policeman.

Though there are obvious workplace hazards such as methane explosions and collapsing mines they don’t end there. Miners are required to work within claustrophobic, dark tunnels deep underground where the conditions are hot and humid. These sorts of conditions can lead to respiratory damage due to high levels of dust and other chemicals.

This can lead to many disorders, such as black lung, which doctors call coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP). There is even the threat of damage to hearing due to the loud equipment miners use. According to the BLS, coal mine workers earn a mean annual salary of around $59,270.

6. Crime Scene Cleaner

When watching an episode of CSI, it looks like a glamorous job. But those who clean up after the investigators have all their swabs and evidence don’t have it so good. The job of a crime scene cleaner is tedious and disgusting. If you’ve ever been a maid or cleaned up after a party, you know how gross and sticky things can get. You often have to move heavy items like couches and beds.

It’s usually rancid smelling and out of sorts, but then add dead people. Once the detectives have finished investigating, the cleaners get to work. There are often many things scattered around that you’ll have to clean up. The levels of severity differ, but there are cleaning processes for blood and other horrifying fluids. And it can take a few hours or a few days depending on how many people died.

To prepare, there is training for the job that sets up fake scenes. This allows crime scene cleaners to practice their cleaning techniques. They also need to prepare for the reality of a true crime scene. So this job is not for the meek and mild. You are going to see some gore in this job.

It’s the kind of work that comes with a free pass to post job trauma therapy. Many crime scene cleaners suffer from clinical depression from their job. There is also the concern of infection or disease from being in close contact with fluids and dead bodies. An air of caution and protective gear are necessary. However, the work hours are flexible, and you could make up to $75,000 per year.

7. Garbage Collector

It can be gross when you have to take your own trash. Now imagine how bad it is at the communal garbage drop off point. As a garbage collector, you will pick up and manage every else’s garbage. Unfortunately, someone has to do it, so it’s the job of a garbage collector. When people see garbage workers, they wonder how they could possibly choose to do such a dirty, disgusting job.

It’s a tough job collecting garbage from street corners. Garbage collectors work long shifts and trash collection often starts early in the morning. They have to avoid the busy traffic hours, so they often work late, as well. It’s for all these reasons that collecting trash ranks as one of the hardest, dangerous, and dirty jobs in the world. But it’s also a high paying job for all those reasons.

Sanitation workers get used to the usual smells that rotting food and waste exude. They also get used to dealing with the outdoors. Rain and snow in the winter months don’t stop a garbage collector from having to do their job. The summer months make garbage even more grotesque. Being in close proximity to garbage also comes with its risks. It can be a breeding ground for life threatening bacteria and viruses.

There are over 100,000 garbage collectors in the U.S. That may sound like a fairly big team, but they are dealing with 250 million tons of trash yearly. The men and women of garbage removal have a lot of garbage to manage. Sure, it’s a gross, difficult job, but the pay is good. Garbage collectors make a minimum of $60,000 per year. That’s about the same amount of money as a police officer or a teacher makes.

8. Oil Rig Worker

Being an oil rig worker is a lonely, cold, harsh existence. For those who do offshore oil digging, they count down the days when they can go home. In theory, it sounds like a good job. You work hard for a few weeks and then go home for a few weeks. The thing is, when you work 12-hour days for 21 days straight, you need a break.

You also work in intense heat or freezing cold temperatures. Additionally, your workplace sits in the middle of the ocean somewhere. The job entails housing drilling equipment and explosives, so you must wear safety equipment always. That is uncomfortable when it’s hot. The equipment on an oil rig, like the drills, are extremely loud when in operation.

This is an incessant sound you have to protect yourself from daily. Oil rig workers have to use safety measures such as wearing earplugs and specialized glasses. This equipment protects them from permanent hearing problems or loss of eyesight. Being an oil rig worker is also hard on the body. While much easier than before because of automation, it is still demanding work.

Being an oil rig worker takes you away from family and friends for significant lengths of time. You also deal with oil, which makes it a dirty job. If you are willing to take on this work, you’ll earn a minimum of $40,000. An if you have a special education or certification, you have the opportunity to make even more.

9. Portable Toilet Cleaner

It can be unbearable to use a portable toilet. You know this if you’ve ever been to a festival or outdoor event during the summertime. In fact, walking into a port-a-potty could nearly knock you over from the stench. But there is someone who has to clean up after thousands of people take in a fun event.

Basically, it’s the job of managing other people’s excrement every day. Portable toilets have no mechanism to get rid of human waste. That leaves no other option but for someone to manually clean it. A portable cleaner must clean and disinfect each portable toilet from ceiling to floor. They need to clean the walls, floors and ceilings thoroughly for reuse.

This means hanging out in other people’s stench for long periods of time. The pressurized water hoses help reduce the time spent in the blue box of horrors. The water hose also helps dispose all that used toilet paper down in the toilet pit. And there are hazards to this job. Working with human waste comes with the risk of health issues.

Contacting human excrement can cause diarrhea and nausea. Some related health issues include hepatitis and typhoid, which causes a rash and severe intestinal problems. So how many portable toilets does each person clean in a day? Apparently the disinfect between 50 and 60 portable toilets daily.

Employees wear protective gear and fully disinfect themselves after work, but do they ever get over the stench? The job pays well, which has to be the only reason anyone would do it. Portable toilet cleaners make around $60,000 per year.

10. Crab Fisherman

Boatmen, or boat workers and fishermen spend long periods at sea in confined spaces. In fact, working in adverse weather conditions is a more perilous job than the standard office jaunt. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), commercial fishing was one of the most dangerous occupations from 2000 to 2006. There was an alarming rate of 115 deaths per 100,000 fishermen during that time.

So most people probably wouldn’t rush to apply for this role for a median salary of $34,000 per year. A prime example of a commercial fisherman profession would be a crab fisherman. Some people are aware of the job these hardy men undertake from watching the Discovery documentary, Deadliest Catch. Fishermen must fight through the forces of nature like strong tides and stormy weather.

Crab fishermen risk hypothermia, and handle dangerous equipment like spears, nets and strangling coils, too. Despite the obvious dangers, this booming industry offers an abundance of employment opportunities. But be warned because the pay varies from boat to boat and season to season. Top earning boats can rake in $50,000 during the three- to five-day king crab season.

But the longer snow crab season can see top boat crew members amassing an impressive $100,000. However, renowned crab fisherman Cade Smith stated in a Business Week article that the worst season he ever encountered left him with a net loss of $500. That’s like getting slapped in the face with a wet fish.

11. Landfill Operator

A landfill operator has a similar job to garbage collectors. But there are some parts of the job that differ. While a garbage collector will have to manage traffic in whatever region they service, a landfill operator will stay in the worksite all day. While at the site, they manage many different types of waste and garbage. This makes the dirty job list because landfill operator must deal with landfill waste as well as the weather.

Landfills are risky because there is a large number of bacteria and disease-causing microorganisms. There are also rodents that a landfill attracts. Vermin and rodents can carry diseases that are life threatening to humans. With all these risks, landfill operators need to protect themselves with specific gear. And it’s not the most comfortable clothing for hot weather.

The main task of a landfill operator is to collect and remove the methane gas that forms in landfills. This is highly risky for the operator, as well as one of the worst smells on earth. This gets rid of the greenhouse gases destructive to the environment. They often funnel methane gas through pipes. The operator will have to deal with the stench and could be exposed to harmful bacteria.

This is a risky part of the job as it’s quite dangerous to manage methane gas since extremely flammable. Methane gas is a by-product of rotting garbage, so it’s quite smelly. This makes it a challenge for operators to collect it. There are three ways to get rid of methane from landfills: venting, burning and extraction.

Although it’s nasty, dirty job that nobody wants, it pays well. A landfill gas operator will make around $100,000. This puts it at the top of the list for the high paying jobs.

12. Urine Collector

Yes, there are farms dedicated to harvesting the urine of various land-grazing herbivores, such as deer and elk. The aim is to create effective scents for hunting lures, liquid manure and organic pesticides. The collection process involves ushering animals into vast rooms where they stay safe overnight. They construct the rooms with perforated floors to collect the golden liquid waste. Then, they store them in large containers.

Once the acquire the urine, they package and refrigerate it before distributing it. Also, they have to store the urine for liquid manure or organic pesticides in a drum for fermentation. Urine collectors are aware of spreading Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) if the urine comes from infected animals.

So, they do rigorous testing to mitigate this risk. It is also preferable to monitor a herd for CWD for a long time, up to the point of collection. To get wrist deep in animal waste on a daily basis, cattle urine collectors can earn $80,000 a year.

13. Proctologist

Proctology is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the colon, rectum and anus. A day in the life of a proctologist involves fecal incontinence and severe constipation. They also deal with colon and rectal cancer, as well as fissures, fistulas and hemorrhoids. If encountering these things daily doesn’t deter you, the outlook for this profession is optimistic.

According to the BLS 2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the demand for doctors will grow by 24 percent between 2010 and 2020. This is higher than the average for all occupations. The bureau says the aging baby boom generation will account for a disproportionate percentage of health care. This will likely cause a strong demand for colorectal surgeons. This is because hemorrhoids, cancers and other conditions of the digestive tract are common in the elderly.

To have a career in colorectal surgery, you must take science and math in high school. After that, you should focus on biology and anatomy in your undergraduate education. You’ll need to attend a medical school with an excellent colorectal program, and spend several years in a surgery residency, too. Similar to gastroenterologists, this career path will take a minimum of 10 to 13 years. However, it is one of the highest paid medical professions with an average salary of $400,000 per year.

Although these positions pay well and may come with a comedic stigma, they involve the physically and mentally challenges that make most people cringe. And these brave souls work their jobs to keep the rest of us healthy and hygienic. They face unhygienic conditions and unsightly substances, so others don’t have to. Perhaps there is glory in doing the kind of work others don’t dare to do.

14. Septic tank servicer

Across the world, many people still rely on septic tanks to dispose of their sewerage. There are plenty of rural areas or informal settlements (slums) that do not have functioning sewerage systems in many underdeveloped countries. Septic tanks are used to capture the human waste from toilets and prevent it from entering the environment. The size of the tank and the volume of waste it takes on will determine how often you need to empty your septic tank. For an average size family, a tank would need to be cleaned, and the sludge removed every 1-2 years.

When your septic tank is full, you need to call in a professional service to empty it. The waste is pumped from the septic tank into a tanker. The residue is then transported to a waste disposal facility. At the same time that you have your tank emptied, the service provider can also check your tank and make sure it’s in good working order. If the filter needs to be replaced or some PVC piping has cracked, you need to have it repaired. If you don’t, your septic tank won’t work properly.

The national average cost of having your septic tank pumped or cleaned is $380. A normal septic tank emptying should take about an hour. Companies may charge extra if the septic tank is not easy to locate, if it’s buried deeper than normal, or if it contains heavy sludge. They may also include a charge for the transportation to the waste disposal facility.

Looking at the figures, setting up a septic tank emptying and repair business. It would have to be in an area where many homes have septic tanks. Given that it’s a dirty job, it’s likely you’ll be able to corner the market. If you can put up with the smell, that is!

15. Chimney cleaner

Fireplaces are common in many homes around the world. A lot of people still enjoy an open fire on a cold winter’s night. To maintain your fireplace and prevent your fire from smoking up your whole house, you need to keep your chimney clean. A chimney should be cleaned at least once a year. It’s preferable to have your chimney cleaned in the autumn in preparation for winter. If it’s within your budget, many experts advise that you should have it cleaned again at the end of winter. Removal of the soot from your chimney ensures that it works at its best and can prevent a chimney fire.

Long ago, small children were used for cleaning chimneys with brushes as they were able to squeeze into small spaces. Luckily, that is no longer an acceptable practice. Brushes are still used to clean a chimney. They are now designed to be manipulated without having to get into the chimney. The service provider may choose to work from the bottom of the chimney up, but most prefer a top-down approach. It is generally less messy.

You can buy your chimney cleaning kit, but it might not contain all the tools you need. Chimney cleaning can turn into a massive mess in the hands of an amateur. That’s why most people elected to hire a chimney cleaning service to do the job for them. On average, cleaning a chimney costs $224. The price usually includes a chimney inspection. Should the chimney cleaner find a problem, the cost of repairing it is added to your bill. A normal clean will take anything from 45 minutes to an hour.

Establishing a chimney cleaning service will a loyal customer base will earn you good profits. You need, however, to be prepared to get your hands dirty to succeed!

16. Adult entertainer

Adult entertainment is not the safest industry to work in. However, many people work in the industry because they earn a lot of money. Those jobs that will make you the most money is referred to as ‘direct provision of sex-related services.’ This includes prostitution, strip clubs, pornographic services, and nude modeling. A less direct work field in the adult entertainment industry is the selling of products such as sex aids and legal pornographic material. This is called a sex shop.

The reason that working in the adult entertainment may be a ‘dirty’ job is that many people are at their most vulnerable. They are often exploited and taken advantage of. People who work in the sex industry are often socially marginalized and may be viewed as disposable by potential predators. A lot of people are lured into the adult entertainment industry with the promise of big money, fame, and fortune. The reality couldn’t be more different in most cases.

Working in the sex industry exposes you to the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Many of these are challenging to treat. Others such as HIV/AIDS are incurable and eventually lead to death. Another risk factor the sex industry presents is the likelihood of drug addiction. Many sex workers need alcohol and drugs to sustain them and ‘get them through’ their work. It leads to a vicious cycle. The person is using drugs to blot out what they’re doing. But now they need to feed their drug habit. They continue to work in the sex industry to get money to buy drugs.

It’s not as easy to leave the adult entertainment industry as you may think. There is a significant criminal element involved, which can lead to your complicity in illegal acts.

17. Slaughterman/meat cutter

The reason this is a job that can earn you money is that it provides a stable work outlook. Very few people enter this industry as it requires a very strong stomach. Employers agree that it is a sector in which it is hard to retain employees. On average, only 1 in 4 people who start working in the industry stay. So, while you won’t be making a fortune, you will have steady work. People will continue to eat meat, and so the services of a slaughterman will always be in demand. On average, a slaughterman earns $28,000 a year. You can seek opportunities for advancement to supervisory and managerial levels as you gain experience.

The killing and flaying of live animals is not a job for the faint-hearted. It requires an approach whereby you have to get on with doing a dirty job few others would want. You need to be able to handle the sight of blood without feeling nauseous. Many people report that it might take a while to get used to it, but after that, it’s not so bad. There are others who cannot handle the nature of the job and leave after a short while.

A meat cutter is another job that requires a strong stomach. You have to cut the carcasses of slaughtered animals so that the meat can be sold. You may have to debone specific pieces of meat as well.

The job of being a slaughter-man or meat cutter carries with it the additional danger of injury. You’re working with sharp knives, and meat saws and accidents happen very quickly. They may leave you with amputated fingers which may affect future job prospects.

18. Pest control specialist

Working in the pest control industry means you cannot have a fear of creepy-crawlies. You are required to go into homes, offices, and other buildings that are infested and get rid of the problem. Unwanted pests can cause a health hazard and need to be eradicated as soon as possible. The function of a pest control technician is to know what to do to get rid of them. The types of pests a pest control technician will find him/herself up against are beetles, spiders, termites, rats, ants, cockroaches, and snakes.

Many pest control companies specialize in the removal of only specific pests. For example, they might be prepared to tackle all of the above except for snakes. Pest control requires the removal or destruction of the source of the infestation. A technician needs to know about bugs and rodents, their habits, and their dangers to be able to combat them. In most cases, mainly when insects are involved, pesticides are used to kill them. A pest control specialist must know how to use these products safely so that they don’t harm the human residents in the building.

Training is required, although most pest control companies prefer to do on-the-job training for employees. This is to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

If you’re even remotely squeamish about bugs and rodents, this is not the job for you. Being a pest control technician is an entry-level position. The average annual wage is $32,000. This might not seem like much, but there may be opportunities for advancement. Alternatively, you can learn as much as you can while you’re there and then start your own pest control company.