Forbes
We all know that most doctors, lawyers, and CEOs make good money–but you may be surprised to learn that funeral service managers, hot dog vendors, and ice cream testers can also pull in a pretty penny.
To compile our 2013 list of 10 unusual jobs that pay surprisingly well, I combed through BLS data and scanned the pages of Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy.
Odd Jobs is a book by Abigail Gehring that features over a hundred jobs that don’t require you to sit in an office eight hours a day, five days a week. Gehring has had twenty-four of the jobs listed in her book.
Growing up, her father—who had a master’s degree and teaching experience—was best known as the “Hot Dog Man” in her hometown of Wilmington, Vermont. For twenty-five years he worked out of his metal pushcart in a True Value parking lot, and made enough money to put four kids through college.
In her book, Gehring notes that busy hot dog vendors in New York make up to $100,000 a year—while those with a reasonably successful business in less trafficked areas can earn a profit of $30,000 to $80,000 a year.
“Odd jobs can definitely bring in a good income, but often it requires a great deal of creativity, diligence, and a willingness to take risks,” Gehring says. “Certainly there are high costs to pay for the education and training required to become a doctor or a lawyer, but if you’re a bright and hardworking person, either one is a pretty straightforward path to success. There are more unknowns in the odd job road to success, and so a lot of people don’t even consider it.”
On a fishing boat in Alaska, you could bring in $2,500 a week worth of fish, or you might get nothing, she says. As a lipstick reader, you could make $200 an hour, but you might only get one hour’s worth of work some weeks. “To really make a lot of money doing the kinds of jobs I describe in my book, from dog walker to virtual head hunter to body part model, you need business savvy, a dogged determination, and a good bit of luck. But you also might get to be your own boss, set your own hours, and have a slew of great stories to tell your grandkids one day.”
It turns out that full-time personal shoppers can pull in over $100,000 a year, according to Gehring–while virtual head hunters make $250 to $10,000 per employee referral. Other well-paying unusual jobs from her book: Cruise ship entertainer, ice cream taster, and human statue.
“A lot of freelancers or people in creative professions want flexible hours, which often means thinking outside the box for money-making opportunities,” she says. Other people seek out unusual jobs because they’re tired of the 9 to 5 grind, or they’ve lost their job and are looking for new opportunities. “Some people just want to add a little spice to their life and if they can make money doing something exciting and unusual, why not?”
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| Embalmer Average pay: $43,680 a year Source: BLS |
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| Hot Dog VendorAverage pay: $30,000 to $100,000 a year Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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| Personal ShopperAverage pay: $25,000 to $100,000+ a year Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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| Ice Cream Taster (Food Scientist) Average pay: $56,000 a year Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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| Virtual Head Hunter Average pay: $250 to $10,000 per referral Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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| Funeral Service Manager Average pay: $79,930 a year Source: BLS |
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| Body Part Model Average pay: $20 to $1,000+ for an afternoon Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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| Live Mannequin / Human Statue Average pay: Up to $100 an hour Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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| Genetic Counselor Average pay: $55,820 a year Source: BLS |
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| Cruise Ship Entertainer Average pay: $3,000 to $4,500 a month, plus room and board Source: Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy. |
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