14 Jobs that Pay $1,000 a Week That’ll Surprise You

by Erin Schollaert

Updated

When we’re kids, we all seem to assume there are just a handful of job types.

Not everyone has to be a teacher, a fireman, or a doctor: there are plenty of jobs that pay $1,000 a week that you might have never heard of.

Although some need college, most of these are jobs that pay $1,000 a week without college: and almost all of them are generally unheard of by the public.

14. Dinkey Operator

Average weekly income: $1,000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

As a dinkey operator, you’ll transport and shunt cars at industrial or mine sites and operate flatcars to transport equipment or personnel.

You may also have drive-switching locomotive engines within your railroad yard, industrial plant, or quarry. It’s one of the more physically demanding jobs paying $1,000 a week.

Surprising fact: dinkey operators repair machinery and run rail yards, requiring a general understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which surprise many when they hear the silly name of this job!

Trend on the Rise

These jobs are high paying and at only 84% automation risk, far lower than the average when compared to roles like cashiers and drive-through workers. Check out these reasons you can’t find a job and how to fix them to up your chances of securing this position.

13. Teddy Bear Repair Technician

beanie-babies-bears

Average weekly income: $1,000 (Payscale)

Toy repairs, in general, are high-demand, and as sewing becomes a skill that not as many people are being taught: fixing fabric toys is a well-paying job.

You can take on this work either as a freelancer who gets mailed the toys to fix or consider working with a company like Build-A-Bear that will allow you to specialize in one type of toy.

Working at Build-A-Bear is just one of many high paying retails jobs.

Surprising fact: Build-A-Bear currently has two in-house teddy bear doctors who repair any bears that are damaged: the number one reason for damages is dog attacks.

12. Bridge Tender

Average weekly income: $1,000 (OpenPayrolls)

Working as a bridge tender is similar to working as a traffic guard for a drawbridge.

This means you’ll spend a lot of time ensuring that the bridge opens and closes to allow watercraft to pass and to keep traffic safe.

You may also clean, inspect, and lubricate bridge equipment, making minor repairs along the way.

Surprising fact: at every bridge that rises or divides for traffic, there is always at least one person on shift all hours of the day to ensure it’s ready for passage.

11. Biological Science Tech

Average weekly income: $1,000 (FederalPay.org)

Biological science techs typically set up, clean, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment like test tubes, scales, and microscopes in the lab.

Then, in the field, they gather information and physical evidence of whatever they’re studying so that they can conduct further experiments.

This role examines everything from blood to food, bacteria, and other biological matter.

As the world becomes more computer-oriented, graduates may find this and similar positions to be good jobs with a computer science degree.

Surprising fact: this job doesn’t leave you stuck in a lab! Biological science techs get to spend time literally in the field, studying anything from insects to buffalo.

Tactic for Success

Although you don’t need an advanced degree in this role, obtaining one can nearly double your yearly income. This can also help with promotions and growing in your field.

10. Crystallographer

crystallographer-rock

Average weekly income: $1,000 (ZipRecruiter)

As a crystallographer, you’ll use the properties and inner structures of crystals to determine the arrangement of atoms and then generate the knowledge needed by physicists, chemists, biologists, and other professionals.

This is the study of atomic and molecular structure and is an incredible role to work in.

As a crystallographer, you’ll need a high attention to detail and a strong comprehension of minerals and crystals.

Surprising fact: this discipline is directly attributable to winning the most Nobel Prizes, having won nearly 30 times.

9. Underwater Demolition Driver

Average weekly income: $1,000 (SimplyHired)

Working as an underwater demolition driver means clearing obstructions in waterways and ports and setting explosive clearing charges for underwater mining operations.

In this role, you can also participate in underwater explosive cutting for ship salvaging operations.

Although the main goal has to do with deliberate destruction or neutralization of manufactured or natural underwater obstacles: there’s a large range of companies and organizations that need this type of work.

Surprising fact: workers in this role are also called ‘frogmen’ because of the rubber suits they wear as they move in and out of the water.

8. Digital Risk Officer

Average weekly income: $1,100 (Zippia)

Digital risk officers influence and guide the oversight and decision-making related to digital business.

These professionals explicitly work with non-IT executives in many capacities to understand the digital business risk and help create a balance between running the business and also protecting it from digital attacks.

This job does require a specific skill set, so if you are new to the digital field these best gigs on Fiverr without skills may be a better fit for you.

Surprising fact: because digital security is being tested faster than it’s being improved, many companies turn towards ‘ethical hackers’ who can help.

Trend on the Rise

The market for digital security grew by 12.4% to reach $150.4 billion in 2021, and it’s expected to continue growing at this rate for the next five to ten years.

7. Forest Fire Inspector

fire-pit

Average weekly income: $1,100 (RaiseMe)

This role is important not only for the safety of nature and natural resources but also to protect people and communities that live near them.

Forest fire inspectors enforce fire regulations, inspect forests for fire hazards, and recommend fire prevention or control measures.

They can also report forest fires and weather conditions.

This is a rewarding job without using your hands, making it perfect for someone with carpal tunnel or mobility issues.

Surprising fact: if wildfires aren’t stopped soon enough in windy areas, they can form ‘fire tornadoes’ that let loose far more destruction.

6. Online Dating Ghostwriter

Average weekly income: $1,200 (ZipRecruiter)

Dating is difficult, so in this role, professionals help their clients close the deal on either a relationship or an interaction with another dating app user.

Sometimes this role is just creating a public profile, but other times it can go as far as taking over the DMs and talking directly with whomever their client requests.

This is a job for creative and flirtatious people who can stay detached while working through it.

Surprising fact: most people in modern online dating situations view it the same way they view applying for jobs, with profiles as cover letters. This pressure often pushes them to hire writers to help.

Tactic for Success

Although you don’t need any kind of degree for this role, you should sharpen your writing skills and seek out creative writing courses- there are even free lessons on sites like YouTube that will help. These messages will be fast-paced, so you have to be skilled and creative at responding.

5. Respiratory Therapist

Average weekly income: $1,300 (U.S. News)

Working as a respiratory therapist means caring for patients who have trouble breathing from illnesses ranging from asthma to bronchitis.

Patients range in age, background, and needs, so this job requires a lot of specialized care. It’s also one of the more popular jobs for biochemistry majors.

Surprising fact: over 82% of respiratory therapists work in hospitals and are one of the most common roles ranging from cardiology to sleep therapy, yet many don’t know it’s a job at all.

4. Seismograph Shooter

seismograph-forest

Average weekly income: $1,300 (Salary Expert)

Seismograph shooters have the important job of keeping track of how many earthquakes and other earth-shaking phenomena happen and their intensity.

These roles are most common in areas like California.

Still, they are becoming more common in places like Oklahoma, where fracking has created more earth-shaking phenomena in the regions that never used to have to deal with it.

Surprising fact: Roughly 50 earthquakes happen in the USA every day, meaning there are over 20,000 in any given year- an incredible amount that’s hard to think about.

3. Hypnotherapist

Average weekly income: $1,500 (SimplyHired)

Hypnotherapists are mental health professionals that help their clients work through trauma, stress, depression, and other mental health events by working on a connection with a horse.

These animals are shown to have therapeutic qualities, and the symbolism of them can help people overcome stress.

Surprising fact: although the name may lead you to believe this job has to do with hippos, the term ‘hippopotamus’ actually comes from the Greek words ‘water’ and ‘horse,’ which is why a hypnotherapist is a professional that uses horses and not hippos.

2. Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Average weekly income: $1,700 (Salary.com)

Working as a nuclear medicine tech, you’ll prepare and administer radioactive drugs to patients for treatment or imaging.

In addition, you’ll need to provide technical support for doctors or anyone else working to diagnose, treat, and care for patients and possibly to researchers who investigate the uses of radioactive drugs.

Surprising fact: you don’t need extensive medical education to gain this role; instead, all you need to become a nuclear medicine technologist is an associate’s degree!

1. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Average weekly income: $2,100 (ZipRecruiter)

These psychologists focus on employees and customers in the workplace and then apply psychological principles and research methods to improve the work environment and shopping experience.

The goal is to improve performance, professional satisfaction, and communication within the company for everyone who interacts with it.

Surprising fact: the main role in this job is to predict how customers will act, which can affect their buying behaviors.

Wrapping Up

You don’t have to do the same basic work that everyone’s heard of.

Instead, these interesting and different jobs give you a chance to try something new and make a livable wage off of it.

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Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.

About the Author

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Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.