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Have you ever felt like you were underpaid at your job? Well, seriously. Imagine - you work hard all day, spend all your energy, and most likely get much less than that guy over there. It's like that, don't you agree? And the most interesting thing is that the "guy" who works less but gets more, according to others, may be you.
In fact, everything in this life is relative, and this or that profession, depending on various angles, can seem both completely low-paid and with an unreasonably high salary. It depends on the country, on the level of education, and a number of other factors. But there is still a whole pool of professions whose representatives, by all accounts, are still criminally underpaid in almost every country.
The AskReddit community once asked members just one simple question: "Which profession is criminally underpaid?" The resulting thread got 31.1K upvotes, as well as 19.6K various comments, which, of course, indicates how painfully sensitive this topic is for many people.
In the original thread, as we have already noted, there is a huge number of comments, so Bored Panda compiled a selection of the most popular and often-mentioned ones. Apparently, these professions are indeed dramatically underpaid all over the world. In any case, feel free to scroll to the very end and, perhaps, if you don’t find an option you'd like to add, you may for sure leave it in the comments section.
More info: Reddit
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#1
Janitors.
They clean up all our s**t, get no respect, and are sometimes some of the chillest people I've ever met. We should pay them more.
RELATED:
#2
Any caretaking position. From personal experience, I can loudly say that mental health and behavioral techs are VERY underpaid. Working in a job that regularly sends people to the hospital due to assault by clients, has a very high burnout rate, and very high secondary trauma is HARD. Not to mention, people in these roles are caring for individuals that their family/parents cannot handle and they are supervising 4-10 of these individuals at once. It takes a HUGE toll on your mental health, and it barely pays the bills. Being in charge of safety for those that do not have an interest in keeping themselves safe is rough. I’m sorry, but $15-$17/hour is not enough.
Also, these jobs don’t require a college degree most of the time. From what I’ve found, however, you are not paid enough nor do you have the mental energy or time to finish your degree due to working very hectic (often short staffed) hours. This keeps people stuck in the same workplace forever. HR (who is meant to be your advocate) has often never been on the floor and has no idea what the job often entails.
Emiloy 2 years ago
It is in the best interest of the whole community to pay caregivers well. Most of us will need their services someday. I for one want my future caregivers to be well paid and well supported. (Also for their own sake of course - all workers deserve fair compensation and a good life)
#3
People who grow and harvest your food
Ray McArdle 2 years ago (edited)
It's really sad. If you had to cultivate and harvest your own food, you would appreciate their value. My executive vice-president earns $800,000 a year just passing information from his Senior vice-president to another executive vice-president. And he gets to do that from home.
#4
Basically any profession that requires you to work with vulnerable people
Lonecoolman 2 years ago
I WORKED ONE ON ONE AND IN GROUP SITUATIONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS. BEST JOB EVER!!! MISS IT SO...WHEN I RETIRE, THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND ME, BACK IN THE SCHOOLS HELPING WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND ALSO GENERAL POPULATION STUDENTS.
#5
Social Workers. They see abused/neglected kids all day, awful living conditions, desperation and poverty.
Hands are tied with the ridic amount of red tape, etc.
Soul sucking job that makes one lose faith in humanity very quickly.
No amount of money is worth the nightmares they must have at bedtime.
#6
Every one who is govermentally decleared "essential" when covid hit.
Extra eddit: this counts double for People who are on or near the minimum wage when covid hit, had to do dangerous work and got a pat on the back, a pin, or a "thank you email" while company's profits soared.
And People in healthcare and emergency services!
Ray McArdle 2 years ago (edited)
Who knew? We used to think a "hero" was a soldier wearing military fatigues, striding through an airport. Then, a worldwide crisis hit...
#7
I made 9.50 an hour as an EMT.
Never ask “why is there an EMS shortage” around me I will go OFF
#8
Vet techs. $15-22 an hour for doing everything a nurse does, just on furry patients.
#9
Childcare at any level -- especially preschool and early childhood educators. Being able to adequately manage and empower children is an artform.
Jen T 2 years ago
I 100% agree with this, but as a single mom who seriously struggled when my kids were in daycare, I wonder how this could be fixed without plunging more people into poverty? Maybe roll them in with the school system so they get government funding? Regardless, it should absolutely be fixed. Those of you who watch other people’s kids are saints.
#10
Librarians.
A Librarian requires a masters degree so that they can start at a salary that barely competes with Target these days. I see social worker on this list, and want to point out that libraries are often the place the city/town sends people when they do not have the funding or facilities to deal with them otherwise. It's also the place that many people come who are in need of social workers and social services, and librarians are the ones that connect them. Government wants people to fill out taxes online? Great - where do you think the less fortunate are accessing computers? Who do you think is helping them figure out how to fill out these forms? Is your country still fighting a war on drugs, instead of providing safe access and care for the addicted? Guess where they are shooting up. Is some billionaire funding 'grass roots' campaigns to get on boards and generally complain about any information that jostles their world view? Guess who is operating on the front lines of that culture war? The list goes on, but there are a good number of librarians on reddit, and I'm probably already triggering them, if they haven't hit their breaking point already and started filling out that Target app.
flutterbyy 2 years ago
I'd love to live in a world where librarians hold more positions of power.
#11
Teaching.
Going into a violent inner-city place, trying to get people to even care about the subject never mind doing the work with half your caseload people whose parents have ankle bracelets and the other half are Karens upset you don't automatically give out A+ because they want little Tanner to go to Harvard and you're standing in the way.
Having to buy your own supplies because schools are criminally underfunded, and expected to have an expensive master's degree. AND be underpaid and expected to work free overtime to do things like clubs and sports.
And then oni top of that, some near-illiterate Yalie fake Texan thinking your job needs to be scored like salespeople hitting quotas, as if teaching people is on par with manufacturing or some other endeavor that can be judged entirely on its own merit.
And you realize the only people who make it are people who teach TO THE TEST. e.g "the answer to the upcoming test is A for question 1. Remember that. 1 - A. And then question 2, that will be B. 1 - A, 2 - B. Remember that. And then going in after hours under the cover of darkness to use an eraser and a pencil to change the scores so you can actually get enough of a merit bonus to afford food.
WordWeaver 2 years ago
No amount of money could lure me back into a classroom. Actually teaching and the kids themselves were the only lights in the darkness. Totally toxic apart from that.
Jessica Allred 2 years ago
I have my degree in Elementary Education. During student teaching I saw the c**p the teachers were put through and decided not to teach. I loved the actual teaching but, but everything else was so stressful. (And 1st year teachers were starting at 32k annually)
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Chumbo 2 years ago
Coming from a family of teachers, I agree with almost all of this. However, I'm confused as to why we're taking random shots at ankle bracelets...?
lazyNinjaCat 2 years ago
I believe it's referring to the "rougher" parts of town where kids parents have ankle bracelets (home arrest i think?)
Load More Replies... Serendipity911 2 years ago
I quit before I even started. I had a wonderful experience as a student teacher and the children were wonderful but the nightmare that is being a teacher can usurp all of that.
Steve Raddish 2 years ago
Education: the only "industry" run by people who know absolutely nothing about the "industry". Any idiot can run for a seat on the School Board, and State Senators/Representatives are just as clueless. They have forced teachers to teach to the myriad of standardized tests, rather than letting them teach what the students need to know, all to chase unattainable metrics made up by Legislators.
Rachel Hoch 2 years ago
On my last day, before I walked out of the building, I literally declared aloud to myself: "so help me, this is the last time I EVER step into a public school again. Ever." 10 years in the suburbs, sure -- but my friends in office jobs at this point in our career at least feel human and are treated with some semblance of dignity.
Robert Moye 2 years ago
On the other hand... As a taxpayer, I found out why there are standardized tests daughter graduated and went to private university. She was immediately put on academic probation. Why, I ask. Dean of students says ALL public school graduates are on probation because they're not ready. I went back to college in my late 40s to finish my degree. Saw it first hand. Calculus class started with 75 students ended with about a dozen. How do you write a term paper? How do you do a footnote? Do we have to go to class or can we just take a test. So as a taxpayer, I wanted some sort of verification that students were learning something. I would ask teachers complaining of the tests, "What do you want to teach that's not on the test?"
Cindy Irvin 2 years ago
An acquaintance of mine was a Chemistry teacher in Houston. She said she was having to skip steps in many chemistry processes in order to get the test information in. So basically, she isn't teaching Chemistry. She is giving answers to questions about Chemistry, thanks to idiot Texas legislators.
#12
Public Defenders. I have a private law practice. The public defenders make a fraction of what guys like me make, know criminal law inside and out, and carry obscene caseloads. The system would break down immediately if they went on strike. Which honestly they should.
#14
People in wildlife/conservation
Berdarien Brown 2 years ago
I looked into this about 15 years ago. They were at the time paid around 16k per year starting out. When every person you've got to deal with has a weapon.
#16
Nurses and the whole care sector in the UK.
These are the people who look after you when you need it most. They clean up your poop, clean your open wounds, are someone you can talk too and for some people, the only human contact people have all day.
#17
I'm sure most wouldnt agree but grocery store employees. It's their job to make sure you can get a multitude of foods and drinks and supplies for living, all with a smile on your face because evil corporate demands it, while also being expected to know where everything is at all times no matter what you actually work there, all the sales and how to use them, while sick people who gives ZERO f**ks about anyone in the world continue to go outside and get these minimum wage people sick. While also being berated by some of the rudest people who take their anger out on these people
#18
Grave shift fast food and food service in general. Anything grave shift. Almost no one does that shift because they have better options and it is always an adult doing it, not some kid working for fun money due to labor laws.
Any care that requires wiping human butts.
#19
Teacher's aid. I get headbutt, kicked, scratched, bitten, spit, kick, thrown up on, and peed on for less than 700 every 15 days. The parents are worse.
WordWeaver 2 years ago
Agreed - no one deserves to be treated like that. Teachers and aides are not miracle workers.
#21
Cooks and chefs
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
Yup - I was a top end Chef for a lot of years, earned a s**t load of money but very little or no respect or thanks from the people who employed me - f**k em, I hated every employer I ever worked for ; told pretty much every one of them that as I left them as well. Bastards every one of them, hateful, greedy, ignorant, needy and grasping are some of the better adjectives I could use to describe most of them.
#22
Resident physicians. Some make less than minimum wage for 80 hour work weeks despite saving countless lives.
#23
Scientists, imagine studying 10 plus years, holding the highest academic title possible and earning less than most common 9 to 5s that require little to no education. But hey, its honorable right.
K W 2 years ago
And this is why I told my 8 yr old son he should look at computer science if he wants to be a "scientist". Gonna support him no matter what he chooses but in the US it's not worth the education cost for low pay. Especially going into higher ed with the pressure and politics, and the expectations to be completely broke and struggling while earning a PhD.
#24
Lab techs, we do so much work for doctors to get to the results and never get any recognition for it. Drawing blood, performing quality controls, run stats and bring blood when there is a big trauma.
Foxxy (The Original) 2 years ago
Phlebotomists are the ones that draw the blood and take other samples, lab techs analyse the samples and run diagnostics. They both need each other and are both vital services. Pathology is actually one of the most important diagnostic tool in medicine.
#25
Cps or prison work. I worked at a group home with jdc kids at a direct care facility. We made $10/h. I make more at walmart now and I get hit with way less chairs now.
Glitterati 2 years ago (edited)
Thank you for acknowledging police. Non US cop family here and actually the pay is ok, partly because the training is excellent. It’s a formal qualification with 8 months full time study at the academy, including extensive community engagement and human rights training. It’s unionised and regulated. That said, the things they have to do and see are beyond our worst nightmares. No money can make up for that. Edited to add a person on meth tried to murder my cop husband. Attempted to strangle him. If it weren’t for his partner who was able to get the guy off he’d be dead. Guy had two hunting knives in his waistband he wasn’t able to reach. He was badly injured but alive through sheer good luck. I earn the same as my husband and nobody tries to murder me at work.
#26
Administrative assistants. They literally do everything and anything to keep a place running. They know everything from the top down but get paid a fraction of what everyone else does as the profession is still seen as lower education and a less important role in the company. We have to know our bosses' jobs as well as our own and need to cross-train across the company. OH! We know all the secrets as we all talk to each other.
Final score:
34points
Question everything 2 years ago
I totally agree with this one. Some administrators run a company virtually on their own, the only thing they can't do is make executive decisions but are responsible for everything else, while getting paid peanuts.
#27
I think any job that pays below or at the poverty line for that region is criminal underpaid. When corporations have employees relying on government assistance and other poverty aide organizations that is an indirect form of corporate welfare. The excuse supposed "low skill" entry level job or just any job that's paid like a entry level job) are "just for students living at home" is so narrow-minded and dim-sighted, and manipulative to deflect societies attention to the actual problem for people argue about.
Every job that is paying below the liveability line is underpaid.
Final score:
31points
WordWeaver 2 years ago
Absolutely! US and anywhere like that - it's just greed at the top. Australia has just elected its first Labor government in decades (equivalent to Democrats but more union oriented). The previous regime deliberately destroyed the apprenticeship system and did its best to undermine unions. Results? Now we have a trade skills shortage, no good pathway to carbon neutrality, undermined alternative power industry, poor infrastructure and huge national debt. Oh, and poor international relationships.
#28
Pilots. Yes, older pilots do well but new pilots have to take on so much debt, only to make maybe $600/week. What many people don’t realize is they get paid for flight time, not actual time. And they are limited to something like 100-120hrs a month of flying, if they are given it. That, and regional pilots are often away from home for days on end due to their routes. There is a lot of “paying your dues” for decades in that profession
Tristan Van Nocker 2 years ago
$200k tuition for a 4 year degree. My first job paid roughly $30k a year and was based on how many hours you could get since I was paid by flight hour. Took 10 years of living as cheaply on my own as I could to pay off that debt. Thankfully I did get pay raises as my experience increased.
#29
School Counsellors.
All day they listen to people's problems without judgement, and where I live they only get paid minimum wage.
Final score:
22points
#30
Architects (and I don’t mean the Hollywood big name single owners of the big firms architects, I mean the 98% of the other architects who work under them or in smaller firms)
What do you think ?
Stacey Rae 2 years ago
So, pretty much everyone... All people should be paid enough to afford living. Period.
Foxxy (The Original) 2 years ago
I agree with most (if not all, can't remember lol). These are the people more deserving of higher wages, instead of celebrities.
Tristan Gragg 2 years ago
Security Guards for sure. I've worked in security for 6+ years now, and most every site I have worked was for minimum wage. One of the worst was when I was working at a State run Child Support office, Armed, for $12/hr. Had to supply my own weapon, ammo, duty gear. Almost every guard has to tale unpaid time off to apply/re-qualify/renew their license through the state they work in [classes (unarmed classes are usually 8 hours, while armed classes are around 16 hours) most of the time are NOT through the state, but through yet another security company (2 fees that WE have to pay for)], & wait for their fingerprints (another fee that WE have to pay for) to go through an FBI background check. We go through all of this just to be paid minimum wage in either an empty field, a courthouse, a very seedy neighborhood, etc. and deal with people that show little to no respect. P.S. I know that there are quite a few of those who work in security who think that they are the police.
Berdarien Brown 2 years ago
I was actually thinking about something similar today. We essentially chase or idolize professions for the top 1% earners of said professions. While doctors and lawyers might make good money a lot of them struggle for years because they are essentially forced to have a higher cost of living(usually) and they have way more student loans than the average. They go through years of mediocre pay until the 2nd half of their career. It's actually kind of crazy.
WhAt?? 2 years ago
That's so true. Plus they have years of schooling like you said to pay back.
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Nichole Harris 2 years ago
Forklift driver!!! Without them no truck would get loaded... No product would go anywhere!!! My husband has driven one since 1986 and he'd almost do better to start at McDonald's!
Stacey Rae 2 years ago
So, pretty much everyone... All people should be paid enough to afford living. Period.
Foxxy (The Original) 2 years ago
I agree with most (if not all, can't remember lol). These are the people more deserving of higher wages, instead of celebrities.
Tristan Gragg 2 years ago
Security Guards for sure. I've worked in security for 6+ years now, and most every site I have worked was for minimum wage. One of the worst was when I was working at a State run Child Support office, Armed, for $12/hr. Had to supply my own weapon, ammo, duty gear. Almost every guard has to tale unpaid time off to apply/re-qualify/renew their license through the state they work in [classes (unarmed classes are usually 8 hours, while armed classes are around 16 hours) most of the time are NOT through the state, but through yet another security company (2 fees that WE have to pay for)], & wait for their fingerprints (another fee that WE have to pay for) to go through an FBI background check. We go through all of this just to be paid minimum wage in either an empty field, a courthouse, a very seedy neighborhood, etc. and deal with people that show little to no respect. P.S. I know that there are quite a few of those who work in security who think that they are the police.
Berdarien Brown 2 years ago
I was actually thinking about something similar today. We essentially chase or idolize professions for the top 1% earners of said professions. While doctors and lawyers might make good money a lot of them struggle for years because they are essentially forced to have a higher cost of living(usually) and they have way more student loans than the average. They go through years of mediocre pay until the 2nd half of their career. It's actually kind of crazy.
WhAt?? 2 years ago
That's so true. Plus they have years of schooling like you said to pay back.
Load More Replies... Nichole Harris 2 years ago
Forklift driver!!! Without them no truck would get loaded... No product would go anywhere!!! My husband has driven one since 1986 and he'd almost do better to start at McDonald's!
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