Money is a sensitive topic but one that many of us are very curious about. Odds are that if someone were to ask any of you Pandas if you’re being underpaid for the work you do, you’re likely to answer that you’re undervalued at your job. This goes for people in most careers, as we tend to think we deserve to get more than whatever sum we’re receiving now. After all, we’re truly great workers, aren’t we? We deserve more doubloons for our valuable time!
However, even though we don’t think we’re being overpaid, we might have a different opinion about folks in other sectors of the job industry. Redditors have been opening up about which professions they believe are vastly overpaid in a series of threads on the r/AskReddit subreddit, and we’ve collected the most interesting comments to share with you.
Scroll down, have a read through these internet users’ opinions, and let us know which of these you agree and disagree with, dear Pandas. Just remember, someone’s opinion about a certain profession potentially being overvalued, overpaid, and overentitled doesn’t necessarily make it true. On the flip side, some opinions are so accurate, it’s spooky.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national annual mean wage for a full-time worker in 2021 at $53,490 year. This translates to $1,028 for a full 40-hour workweek.
I reached out to financial expert Sam Dogen for a chat about what determines the vast differences between salaries in different professions and how we can all increase our earnings potential. Sam is the founder of the Financial Samurai project that helps people achieve financial independence. Read on for Bored Panda’s full interview with the expert.
#1
Any ‘professional player’ of any kind of sport is overpaid. Meanwhile, teachers, who are the absolute base of society, need to have part-time jobs just to be able to pay their electric bills.
Image source: GezinhaDM, pexels
#2
Politicians should be very well-paid by the government and absolutely forbidden from any other revenue streams. No donations to the politician, no lobbying, no gifts, no grifts. No speaking fees, no book deals, no consulting gigs. Nothing. For their entire duration in office and for five (maybe 10) years after leaving office. Politicians should be forced to disclose every single gift they receive; even a birthday card from their mom with $5 inside needs to be tracked and monitored.
Image source: Lemesplain, unsplash
#3
“Big” time preachers! I’m not saying all preachers, but the ones with mega churches.
Image source: SBTHorn , unsplash
#4
Social media “influencers”
#5
Reality TV stars.
The cast of Jersey Shore are making anywhere from $80,000 to $150,000 per episode.
Image source: bangersnmash13, flickr
#6
CEOs of charities.
Image source: IndicaHouseofCards, pexels
#7
Even CEOs can’t, under pressure, justify their pay. I will never forget how stupid that JP Morgan CEO looked when Congresswoman Katie Porter pulled out her white board then grilled him about his salary vs. a teller at his own bank.
Image source: tikanique, pexels
#8
Big name Actors, I’m sorry but I just don’t see why anyone needs to earn 25million+ for two months worth of work. And I’ve worked in both film and theatre and understand all that goes on to make productions, just seems crazy to me. Great work if you can get it.
Image source: DiintheShire, wikimedia
#9
Paparazzi, you are paid to be a f*cking jerk.
Image source: scaryskai123, unsplash
#10
Pharmaceutical reps. Trust me!!
Image source: RoboMikeIdaho, unsplash
#11
Hospital administration. Specifically in the US. Making $300,000 a year to scam the people and pretend to care about the workers.
Image source: patsfan618, pexels
#12
High school and college head football coaches in the United States. You don’t even have to be good. Once you land a head coaching job, you can have a losing record and still make bank. In many high schools, the head coach will be the highest paid employee even if they don’t teach a class. College head coaches are often the highest paid public employees in any state.
Image source: mywifemademegetthis, pexels
#13
High ranking military officers.
From experience, I’d say a vast majority of the ones I’ve dealt with are just glorified politicians, who are nothing more than yes men for their next promotion.
After a certain point they’re practically not even in the military anymore, they tend to have no concept of what’s going on at the lowest levels whatsoever.
Image source: ChigBeeze, pexels
#14
Estate agents. I’ve been trying to rent a house (UK) for 5 months now, during which time I’ve spoken to over 50 estate agents. I’m yet to receive a helpful, let alone grammatically correct email
Image source: highlevelsofsalt, pexels
#15
Most jobs in the financial services industry; brokers, wholesalers, hedge fund managers, home lenders etc. all they do is trade money and bring little value to society.
Image source: mmaine9339, pexels
#16
Anyone on Wall Street except unpaid interns.
#17
Hedge fund managers and investment bankers. Even if it requires tons of skill and intelligence (which I don’t know if it does), making rich people richer using obscure financial instruments that don’t actually fund any production or innovation is not something we should reward by making people millionaires and billionaires.
#18
Life coaches
When my family moved cities when I was 5 our new neighbours had kids the same age as my sister and I so my dad wanted to meet them (he did not want his girls around weirdos). When he met the mother she asked what he does and vice versa. She told him she’s a life coach. His response was “what the hell is that?”. She stopped letting her kids play with us.
Image source: Blizard896, unsplash
#19
Everyone saying realtors. Wait til you find out about the guys at the desk job who REALLY make the money.
MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICERS.
#20
So many higher management jobs. People with no actual skills bullying people with skills to do more with less.
Firing them and investing in having the right tools to do the jobs every time would make nearly every company better.
Once you are about two spaces removed from operations, you’re completely useless.
Image source: MrWindblade
#21
Cable news anchors. A few million dollars per year just to read a teleprompter.
Image source: DeathSpiral321, wikimedia
#22
Political commenters. They should have to pay us to listen to their propagandist drivel.
Image source: NotRandyMoss84
#23
Edu-celebrities.
They are the people who spent two years in the classroom, couldn’t handle it, then started some online blog/following with some appealing catchphrase. They get paid $3000+ per speaking gig that districts fork up and force teachers to listen to.
Image source: walterpsherman, pexels
#24
Rappers
Image source: ToiletNachos
#25
Home inspectors charge hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars to miss obvious flaws in the home you’re about to purchase.
Worthless as tits on a boar.
Image source: Chingparr, pexels
#26
Recruiters. Seriously, quite a few recruiters have salaries well into the triple digits while the people they are recruiting for big companies hardly make $40K
Image source: weepingwillows123, pexels
#27
Rehab/treatment center owners. A lot of them are scumbags, especially in Florida.
Image source: behind_looking_glass
#28
Superintendents. It’s solely political and ridiculous how much they get paid compared to the teachers they’re over.
Image source: andshewillbe
#29
The guy who names pixar movies. Got like a $12,000 raise for “Cars”
Image source: NewtTheWizard
#30
Car salesmen. I’d rather just order online. I don’t own or want a Tesla, but I LOVE their sales model.
Image source: CheckYourLibido
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