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30 Jobs That Pay $30 An Hour


$30 an hour jobs

By Alina Dizik


A well-paying job can be easier to find than you think. In fact, people such as medical technologists, social workers and store managers all earn about $30 per hour. A full-time job that pays around $30 per hour can equal roughly $62,400 per year, which means a comfortable living, and above the national average. Are you eager to earn an above-average wage?

Consider these 30 jobs that pay around $30 per hour and see how your own job stacks up:

1. Anthropologist
  • Hourly wage: $30.81.
  • What it's like: Anthropologists never stop learning about the natural history of the world. The job is challenging yet fun.

2. School psychologist
  • Hourly wage: $33.71.
  • What it's like: Helping children resolve conflicts can be a rewarding career, especially if you're interested in human behavior.

3. Medical technologist
  • Hourly wage: $29.87.
  • What it's like: Working with different disease states, most medical technologists work in hospital laboratories.

4. Financial services representative
  • Hourly wage: $32.35.
  • What it's like: Financial services reps sell various bank services.

5. Technical writer
  • Hourly wage: $33.80.
  • What it's like: Writing anything from dense technical manuals to textbooks calls for a deep expertise in the specific subject matter.

More: 7 Growing Jobs That Pay $75,000 A Year


6. Executive assistant
  • Hourly wage: $31.85.
  • What it's like: Providing administrative services to corporate executives can be a high-pressure job.

7. Registered nurse
  • Hourly wage: $34.47.
  • What it's like: Working directly with patients can make nursing a rewarding career path.

8. Branch store manager
  • Hourly wage: $33.14.
  • What it's like: Managing retail stores and working with executives at corporate headquarters can help open other doors in the retail industry.

9. Budget analyst
  • Hourly wage: $34.16.
  • What it's like: Helping departments adhere to their budgets is a perfect role for the math whiz.

10. Account sales representative
  • Hourly wage: $32.17.
  • What it's like: Working to sell products or services, account reps must have stellar people skills.

11. School social worker
  • Hourly wage: $30.89.
  • What it's like: Working with children to iron out behavioral or emotional problems is a key role within a school system.

More: Average CEO Pay Jumps To $14 Million, While Workers Barely Tread Water

12. Statistician
  • Hourly wage: $35.28.
  • What it's like: With plenty of number crunching, statisticians help companies make sense of their data.

13. Communications analyst
  • Hourly wage: $34.64.
  • What it's like: Analysts work to communicate the company's corporate image through all types of media.

14. Electrical research engineer
  • Hourly wage: $33.32.
  • What it's like: Working to improve electrical systems, engineers must possess superior technical skills.

15. Network security officer
  • Hourly wage: $30.87.
  • What it's like: People who deal with computer networks to prevent security breaches are frequently in demand.

16. Police detective
  • Hourly wage: $33.30.
  • What it's like: Protecting people and property, police detectives help to solve crimes in cities and towns.

17. Certified public accountant
  • Hourly wage: $34.40.
  • What it's like: People who look at financial data to ensure fair and consistent tax practices are always in demand.

18. Emergency room nurse
  • Hourly wage: $35.02.
  • What it's like: A high-pressure job in the medical profession, working in the ER also has great rewards.

19. Sales supervisor
  • Hourly wage: $33.42.
  • What it's like: Working on the sales floor to help maintain consistency can make for a fun retail career.

More: 10 Great Jobs For Veterans That Pay More Than $70,000 A Year

20. Aircraft mechanic
  • Hourly wage: $30.33.
  • What it's like: Mechanics work on airplanes to ensure that each one meets safe flying standards and to repair anything in nonworking condition.

21. Quality assurance engineer
  • Hourly wage: $33.51.
  • What it's like: Testing new products and processes to maintain the needed level of quality.

22. Micro computer programmer
  • Hourly wage: $29.76.
  • What it's like: Working to develop software, programmers have the flexibility to work on a project basis.

23. Tax agent
  • Hourly wage: $32.97.
  • What it's like: Working with businesses and individuals to collect taxes.

24. Political adviser
  • Hourly wage: $32.86.
  • What it's like: Understanding how world events affect a company or industry is a job for politics buffs.

25. Animal scientist
  • Hourly wage: $30.66.
  • What it's like: Using biology know-how to study animals can be a dream job.

26. Human resources analyst
  • Hourly wage: $30.37.
  • What it's like: Most analysts are generalists who work in an HR department and search for many different types of positions.

More: 7 Part-Time Jobs That Pay Up To $40 An Hour

27. Industrial production manager
  • Hourly wage: $31.17.
  • What it's like: Perfecting the production process, industrial production managers possess plenty of technical skills.

28. Grant writer
  • Hourly wage: $30.72.
  • What it's like: Working with nonprofits to raise money by submitting grant proposals.

29. Landscape architect
  • Hourly wage: $34.81.
  • What it's like: Landscape architects help design green outdoor spaces.

30. Fashion designer
  • Hourly wage: $31.78.
  • What it's like: Most use their creative spark to design clothes and accessories for men and women.

Alina Dizik researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.


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Steve

While I find lists like these interesting, (but according to some of you they're not very accurate), the job title link should take you to more information about those careers (working conditions, how to become qualified, perks, kinds of companies hiring, etc) rather than current job openings. People already in those fields presumably should know how to search an online board for openings and would have at least some idea of what they pay.

December 26 2012 at 6:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Thomas N. Mason

Here is our Hope And Change http://www.newsy.com/videos/u-s-drops-out-of-top-10-most-prosperous-countries/

November 05 2012 at 10:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mika

Coal plants- $34/hr. Employs hundreds for 2200 MW plant . No degree needed.
Wind generation plant - 24$/ hr Employs a dozen for a 3000MW wind farm.

November 05 2012 at 6:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ephphilon

Anthropologists are mostly academics. Even if you could break down the 'hourly wage' of an academic person, which is not really possible, their careers rely on research/writing, teaching and (usually) fieldwork. They might get paid a yearly salary, but the work they do is not 9-5, and definitely does not work out to the amount listed here. You would not keep your academic job for very long if you just clocked out at the end of your shift.

I am sure you'd make more money working in McDonald's 'per hour' than as an Anthropologist. Do a job that makes you happy so you won't want to stop working, and 'per hour' won't make a difference.

Ridiculous and poorly conceived list.

November 05 2012 at 5:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
eileen

Didn't see massage therapist on the list....

November 02 2012 at 9:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sheila0229

My profession is listed here. I have 29 years of experience and I am salaried, working at the best job I've ever had. I make really good money and I know I am blessed. However, the amount listed applies to experienced independent contractors, who must pay for their own healthcare and retirement.

November 02 2012 at 8:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to sheila0229's comment
jamesw34677

So they have to pay their own healthcare and retirement all people should be doing that anyway not a big deal very cheap in the USA

November 05 2012 at 12:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jhunz1007

This is about about the stupidest list I've seen and believe me, AOL puts out some really stupid list. There might be 5 of the jobs listed that you might get to $30/hr near the end of your career. AOL has no credibility what so ever. Where does AOL get this data from. I can supply more accurate data for........ about $30/hr.

November 02 2012 at 8:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jhunz1007's comment
mikemaj82

I went from $10.85/hour to a salary of $28/hour overnight, then to $40/hour a year later. You just gotta be persistent.

November 03 2012 at 1:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rtgarton

Oh yea and we really need a pet scientist. What a lot of nonsense.

November 02 2012 at 6:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
geneg69

30 dollars an hour sounds real good. The only problem with these jobs is nobody's hiring.

November 02 2012 at 6:55 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
schmdtdan

there are many others.... carpenters, electricians, plumbers, to name a few in the trades.

November 02 2012 at 6:12 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to schmdtdan's comment
rtgarton

Right. Maybe now. To rebuild all that was destroyed in hurricane in the Northeast. Get your pickup truck and head due north

November 02 2012 at 7:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to rtgarton's comment
dknowles60

lets see al sent some linemen up to the north east to help get the power back on. they were boo and sent home

November 02 2012 at 9:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down
dknowles60

there are a lot of carpenters, electricans and plumbers looking for jobs

November 02 2012 at 9:21 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply

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