Most people need to work for a living, but that doesn’t mean they have to take conventional jobs.
The United States economy has a highly diverse set of industries and niche interests. And where there are unusual needs, unusual job openings are available requesting specific skills that only a tiny fraction of Americans possess.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed job listing sites, online databases, and occupation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify the weirdest job or job opening in every state.
In a few states, the strangest job titles are not surprising, but they are extremely rare and concentrated in the state as a result of the presence of a specific industry. For example, Kentucky has a high demand for mine shuttle car operators thanks to its large coal mining industry. In Nevada, due in large part to the casinos in Las Vegas, gaming service workers are 42 times more common than they are across the United States workforce as a whole.
Click here to see the weirdest job in every state.
Some of the other jobs on this list only have become unusual in recent history. For example, before the age of automation and outsourcing, telephone operators were much more common in the United States; today, they are quite rare, but a relatively high concentration of them exists in a few states.
In most cases, the typical American will likely have never heard of these jobs, and will be shocked that they exist. Titles like duck master, gum buster, and face feeler seem made up, but they are very much real. For those looking to eschew a traditional career, there might be openings for unconventional work in your state right now.
1. Alabama
> Weirdest job: Bounty hunter
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2. Alaska
> Weirdest job: Commercial diver
3. Arizona
> Weirdest job: Bingo manager
4. Arkansas
> Weirdest job: Log grader
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5. California
> Weirdest job: Dog surfing instructor
6. Colorado
> Weirdest job: Hangover helpers party cleaner
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7. Connecticut
> Weirdest job: Telephone operator
8. Delaware
> Weirdest job: Materials scientist
9. Florida
> Weirdest job: Scuba diving pizza delivery man
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10. Georgia
> Weirdest job: Chicken sexer
11. Hawaii
> Weirdest job: Golf ball diver
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12. Idaho
> Weirdest job: Agricultural engineer
13. Illinois
> Weirdest job: Flavorist
14. Indiana
> Weirdest job: Airplane repo-man
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15. Iowa
> Weirdest job: Wind turbine service technician
16. Kansas
> Weirdest job: Dog food taster
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17. Kentucky
> Weirdest job: Mine shuttle car operator
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18. Louisiana
> Weirdest job: Bridge and lock tender
19. Maine
> Weirdest job: Shoe machine operator
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20. Maryland
> Weirdest job: Crime scene cleaner
21. Massachusetts
> Weirdest job: Industrial-organizational psychologist
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22. Michigan
> Weirdest job: Furniture tester
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23. Minnesota
> Weirdest job: Professional sleeper
24. Mississippi
> Weirdest job: Forest fire inspector/prevention specialist
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25. Missouri
> Weirdest job: Dice quality inspector
26. Montana
> Weirdest job: Explosives worker
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27. Nebraska
> Weirdest job: Dredge operator
28. Nevada
> Weirdest job: Gaming service worker
29. New Hampshire
> Weirdest job: Ash artist
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30. New Jersey
> Weirdest job: Gum buster
31. New Mexico
> Weirdest job: Ayurveda healer
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32. New York
> Weirdest job: Fortune cookie writer
33. North Carolina
> Weirdest job: Face feeler
34. North Dakota
> Weirdest job: Gas compressor operator
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35. Ohio
> Weirdest job: Odor judge
36. Oklahoma
> Weirdest job: Rock splitter
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37. Oregon
> Weirdest job: Professional snuggler
38. Pennsylvania
> Weirdest job: Chocolate taster
39. Rhode Island
> Weirdest job: Etchers and engraver
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40. South Carolina
> Weirdest job: Nuclear power reactor operator
41. South Dakota
> Weirdest job: Correspondence clerk
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42. Tennessee
> Weirdest job: Duck master
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43. Texas
> Weirdest job: Marketing unicorn
44. Utah
> Weirdest job: Historian
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45. Vermont
> Weirdest job: Solar photovoltaic installer
46. Virginia
> Weirdest job: Beer taster
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47. Washington
> Weirdest job: Horticultural therapist
48. West Virginia
> Weirdest job: Mining roof bolter
49. Wisconsin
> Weirdest job: Floor sander
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50. Wyoming
> Weirdest job: Roof-snow clearer
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