During high school, my guidance counselor suggested becoming a mail carrier. Instead, I've held diverse roles—from riding instructor and librarian to Toys "R" Us salesman and children's entertainer. I even styled myself an 'ice cream alchemist.' At 45, I still haven't settled on a lifelong path—proving growing up might be overrated.
Inspired by an infographic from Graduation Source spotlighting unique careers, I researched further. Drawing from years exploring unconventional paths, here are the top five unusual U.S. jobs, backed by reliable data, with steps to pursue them.
Love food with a refined palate? As an aromatologist—or flavor scientist—you taste and evaluate products for major brands. Follow John Harrison, Master Ice Cream Taster at Edy's Grand Ice Cream, who ensures quality batches, develops flavors, and samples up to 20 varieties daily for five hours. His taste buds? Insured for $1 million.
Food scientists at big manufacturers earn up to $60,000 annually (Payscale data). Not always sweet—consider Philip Wells, dog food taster at Lily's Kitchen, who cites deadlines as the real challenge.
Struggle to leave bed? Get paid for it. Medical schools hire for sleep studies, earning over $10,000 per trial while monitored by devices. Prefer no wires? Hotels like Helsinki's Hotel Finn recruit sleepers to test all 35 rooms, sharing multilingual reviews in English, Finnish, and Russian.
Simply Hired lists average pay at $61,586 yearly—a solid gig for rest.
Dream of the silver screen? Enroll in elite programs like Juilliard or Yale School of Drama. Relocate to film hubs: Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago. Join SAG-AFTRA for union gigs—essential with a strong portfolio. Network via open auditions, supporting roles, or crew work.
SAG-AFTRA members average $53,423; top earners like Jackie Chan exceed $61 million yearly.
U.S. Department of Labor data shows healthcare dominating top salaries, with anesthesiologists leading at $246,000+ annually. These physicians manage patient safety perioperatively.
Path: 4-year undergrad, 4 years medical school, 4-year residency—up to 12 years total, plus optional fellowships. Over 30,000 practice nationwide, with 18% growth projected next five years. Commit to rigorous study for this high-demand role.
Not everyone yearns for the stars, but astronauts like Clayton C. Anderson (152 days on ISS) do. His salary rose from $90,000 as a candidate to $150,000 upon retirement, per his book The Ordinary Astronaut. As Tim Peake notes, the ISS offers unparalleled professional fulfillment.
NASA basics:
Expect intense screening, 2-year training including zero-G flights. Odds are slim—no openings since 2015—but 536 have flown. Contact NASA's Astronaut Office at 281-483-5907.
