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Numbers Not Lumber: The Best and Worst Jobs in America

Published: Jan 07, 2009

 Finance       
If you’re thinking about changing careers or just starting to decide on a first one, you might want to focus on functions rather than forests because according to data compiled by JobsRated.com, the best job in America is “mathematician” (ranked No. 1 largely for its six-figure salary) and the worst is “lumberjack” (rated at the bottom of the barrel for its “long hours,” “high stress”, “strenuous work” and high fatality rate: every year, 82.1 per 100,000 lumberjacks die on the job).

Two finance-related (and less-life threatening) careers also made the 10 best list: “accountant” (No. 10) and “actuary” (No. 2). No finance-related jobs made the 10 worst list, largely because most have low fatality rates.

However, if this lady’s predicament is any indication, the fatality rate of “Madoff investor” might be growing exponentially as we speak and next year the job might give lumberjack, taxi driver and dairy farmer a run for their money.

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