People everywhere agree that these four mission critical professions are shockingly underpaid

Many people agree that a hard day of work deserves a fair wage in return, or, at the very least, a livable wage. However, according to the Society of Human Resource Management, nearly half of Americans who work full-time don’t make a livable wage. Even people who make six-figure incomes aren’t considered upper class in many states. This raises many opinions among Americans regarding minimum wage, inflation, and other topics, but among the working class one question remains: Which professions are the most underpaid and under appreciated?

This conversation sparked a viral Reddit thread titled, “What’s a job that absolutely deserves triple the salary, but doesn’t get nearly enough respect?” One would imagine that folks would list a variety of different jobs, including their own, but there seemed to be a few specific occupations that were frequently referenced and upvoted. Here are some the most cited professions people believe deserve much more money and respect from society.

Teachers

Teachers and educators were among the most cited professions as underappreciated, and not just because they’re “babysitting 30 chaos goblins while underpaid and caffeine deprived” as one Reddit commenter put it. They have a point. While teachers in the United States make an average of $66,000 per year (which is around the average salary in the country), many of them have to purchase school supplies for their students out of their own pockets while also paying off student loans and other expenses as their pay lags year after year. Along with that, the job has turned from teaching subjects and imparting knowledge to include caretaking. More and more, this caretaker role comes with the expectation to also be a substitute parent for ever-growing classrooms of kids. On top of it all, teachers are often berated by parents when their child falls short with their grades.

In some states, full-time teachers still need second jobs to make ends meet. This causes a ton of burnout and many teachers end up leaving the profession, which then contributes to the growing teacher shortage throughout the United States.

Paramedics/EMTs

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are widely considered heroes throughout the country, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They work long hours and, many times, rush into dangerous situations to save as many people as possible. They literally save lives. Yet per a Payscale calculation, the average EMT makes $17.12/hour. That’s lower than the highest minimum wage in the United States ($17.50 per hour in Washington D.C.). One would figure that people who rush to save lives would be in a better financial position, yet, according to Forbes, it’s the most underpaid job in the country. Like teachers, the mental and physical toll of the profession has led to burnout, which is resulting in dipping numbers for this very needed profession.

Janitors/Sanitation Workers

Given how they’re depicted in movies and TV shows, custodial staff not only have a low wage but low respect, too. According to a 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics report, janitors and cleaners make up over two million people in the American workforce and their dirty but necessary work gets them a maximum mean average salary that’s under $45,000. These are people that don’t just deal with dirt, but garbage, bodily fluids, and dangerous refuse such as broken glass. While many believe they should be paid much more, the least we could do is turn sanitation work into a more respected profession.

Elder Care Workers

Home care and elder care workers make up 3.7 million people in the American economy and the median annual salary per a 2024 report was $34,900. The struggles these workers face feel like a combination of what ails both teachers and EMTs: low pay, long hours, high expectations of care, and thus burnout. Depending on the personalities of the people receiving the care, an elder care person can have multiple duties regarding not just the physical health of their clientele, but the emotional and mental issues they face day-to-day. Due to the lack of support, there have been reports of these caregivers walking out on their jobs as the need for elder care workers continues to grow.

If you feel the need to act upon this information, you can contact local groups regarding these professions in your community. Volunteering, providing care packages, and showing appreciation can go a long way.