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The Wall Street Journal has recently released a list of 200 jobs in the US that rank from best to worst. Oil rig workers were ranked No. 196, just one behind dairy farmers. This may seem surprising given all the talk of increasing salaries, rising demand.
The job search site, CareerCast.com, compiled the list and ranked the jobs based on data from the 2010 analysis by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (so admittedly some of the figures are a bit out of date by now). The jobs were ranked on five criteria; physical demands, work environment, income, stress, and employment potential.
Despite the decent salaries and potential job growth, oil rig workers were ranked low due to the tough working environment, with only firefighters and military personnel having more dangerous jobs. Also the rapid expansion of the renewable energy sector poses a long-term threat to career prospects in oil.
CareerCast.com explained that, “while fracking is providing new opportunities in the field, sustainable energy’s growth will pose long-term sustainability challenges to the oil rig worker’s job market. Solar panel installation, for example, skyrocketed by 76 percent in 2012.”
Related article: “Peak Rail” – Has the Crude Shipping Train Left the Station?
The 10 worst jobs according to the list include:
1. Newspaper reporter
Salary Median: $36,000
Projected Job Growth: -6%
2. Lumberjack
Salary Median: $32,870
Projected Job Growth: 4%
3. Enlisted military personnel
Salary Median: $41,998 (E-7, 8+ years experience)
Projected Job Growth: Varies
4. Actor
Salary Median: $17.44/hour
Projected Job Growth: 4%
5. Oil rig worker
Salary Median: $37,640
Projected Job Growth: 8%
6. Dairy farmer
Salary Median: $60,750
Projected Job Growth: -8%
7. Meter reader
Salary Median: $36,400
Projected Job Growth: -10%
8. Mail carrier
Salary Median: $53,090
Projected Job Growth: -26%
9. Roofer
Salary Median: $34,220
Projected Job Growth: 18%
10. Flight attendant
Salary Median: $37,740
Projected Job Growth: 0%
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