Weirdest Job in Every State

By Mike Sauter Updated Jan 15, 9:11AM EST · Published Jul 31, 7:25PM EDT

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Weirdest Job in Every State — © YakobchukOlena / iStock

[cnxvideo id=”757600″ placement=”ros”]Most people need to work for a living, but that doesn’t mean they have to take conventional jobs.

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 many times more common than they are across the United States workforce as a whole.

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. Those in unusual occupations can benefit from being the only qualified candidates, and so they can have high job security. Often, however, these jobs are rare because they are in low demand, and so they have risky job security. These are the jobs with the best and worst job security.

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.

The U.S. economy has a highly diverse set of industries and niche interests. And where there are unusual needs, unusual job openings are available, requiring specific skills that only a tiny fraction of Americans possess. Most high-paying jobs require a college degree, but not all. These are the highest paying jobs you can get without a college degree.

Click here to see the weirdest job in every state

1. Alabama
> Weirdest job: Bounty hunter

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2. Alaska
> Weirdest job: Commercial diver

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

About the Author Mike Sauter →

Michael Sauter is Lead Editor at 24/7 Wall St. He has worked here in various capacities since 2010, starting out as a healthcare industry beat writer. He helped develop the site’s data-driven content, which contributed to 24/7 Wall St. becoming a recognized brand in the field of data journalism, covering a wide range of social and economic issues. Today, he rarely writes but enjoys working with authors and data to find the best way to present information clearly and effectively. In his occasional spare time, Michael loves cycling, listening to audiobooks, and (passably) playing the piano.