10 Surprisingly High-Paying Jobs That Most People Underestimate

While the definition of “high paying” might be in terms of a high salary, a professional cuddler gets paid a surprising amount more than you would anticipate. What this job entails, is that a person is hired to provide a completely platonic physical connection with another person. When it comes to how much a professional cuddler can be paid, some of them make anywhere from $40 to $80 per hour. Of course, there is a level of communication, and social skills required to undertake this job. However, anybody in this profession can make a good amount of money if they have what it takes.

Just hearing the word Ethnobotanist can sound confusing. This is another job that can actually make people a good amount of money. The basic premise is that an Ethnobotanist is hired to study and research both plants and people to see how their relationship goes. They can reach out to indigenous groups/communities to get an even better knowledge of specific plants and how they are utilized in different ways. If you’re in this profession, you might be able to make an annual salary that can range from $50,000 to $90,000.

This isn’t a musician; this is a music therapist. The difference is quite apparent despite both being involved in the same field. A music therapist has the job of helping people with any type of need, whether it be emotional, physical, or cognitive. They use music as a way to help with the situation at hand. It takes a master’s degree in music therapy to start reaching the requirements for this position, but if you’re able to crack through, then you can expect a salary of $50,000 to $80,000. It’s a job that many people likely don’t even know exists until they see the name.

What is a color expert? Well, the answer is simple, yet confusing at the same exact time. A color expert has the task of finding the right color for any situation that needs it. They have to use their knowledge of psychology and color theory in order to come to a decision on the right pattern or theme. They are usually brought in to help with decorating any type of space or even to help with specific brands/businesses. So, what would a person who is excellent in color theory make per year on an average basis? The answer to that question is they can have a salary of $65,000 per year, which is probably significantly more than you’d expect.

Also Read: The Best Paint Colors For Each Room In Your House

Believe it or not, a food stylist can offer good money for its services. Typical salaries for this type of job hover around $50,000 to $75,000. It’s a job that requires you to prepare (and style) food for various types of commercials or films. It is meant to make the aforementioned food look appetizing to viewers visually. You might not expect a food stylist to even be a job at all, nevertheless one that pays surprisingly well. 

A toymaker is absolutely one of the more known jobs in the world. After all, toys don’t just make themselves as much as companies may like. The job of a toymaker is exactly what it is in the name, they produce and even visualize the creation of toys for children to enjoy across the world. A toymaker can have a ton of success in the design aspect of the job, or they can have similar success simply building and constructing the toys that other people design. Either way, an annual salary for a toymaker is around $96,000, which seems high considering the number of people that might be in this field.

The job of a Sommelier is, in other words, a wine expert at the end of the day. Their purpose in the profession is to work alongside companies and consumers to recommend the best drink for them based on their given preferences. A Sommelier can also work with winemakers to create specific pairings for wine and overall upgrade the experience for the people that they are working alongside. Other Sommelier duties can involve pricing the wine when negotiating with vendors, making sure that the wine inventories are all situated, and training other members of the same profession in your skills. A sommelier can make an annual salary of $68,000 per year. That’s right, knowing your wine can have its advantages.

When you read a job like this that you aren’t familiar with, it likely sounds made up. However, there is a position out there called a childbirth educator, and they have a serious job to accomplish. The people working in this profession have to work alongside soon-to-be parents and create a birth plan for them. They also have to provide all of the necessary information that the parents would need to know throughout the birthing process, so they aren’t caught off guard. Some childbirth educators can offer formal classes to the people interested in hearing what they have to say, while others can take a more individualized approach. Either way, the average salary for a childbirth educator is around $52,000.

A fire investigator is a job that probably sounds more familiar, and more necessary in daily life. Their job is to go out after fires have dissipated and try to figure out what started the fire, and if anybody should be held liable for the accident. They utilize their experience to analyze burn factors and collect evidence and can even conduct interviews if necessary. The job is pretty serious, though the pay is really where this might surprise you. Somebody who works as a fire investigator can be making an average salary of $79,000 per year.

If you want to get into the professional sports world as a mascot, you could be making outstanding money doing so. For example, in the NBA, the average NBA mascot makes around $60,000 per year. However, some NBA mascots make significantly more than others due to them taking on more tasks and overall becoming more well-known. Rocky the Mountain Lion earns roughly 10 times the average salary of a normal NBA mascot. Rocky could also have visits set up to attend parties or events for a price, oftentimes being $400 for 30 minutes and up to $750 for a full hour. Being respectful to the fans that they are surrounded by, providing comedic relief without speaking under the costume, and even doing stunts/athletics to get the crowd fired up are all part of the job description. Some estimate Rocky in particular can be making up to $625,000 per year. This is a job that doesn’t get recognized the way it should.

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