Everyone would like to be paid more. Complaining about how much you make is as much of a great American pastime as baseball. Perhaps more, since you don't need a ticket to the ballpark in order to join in on the fun.
Some folks, though, are legitimately underpaid. U.S. News and World Report looked at 7 jobs with high (or at least medium) satisfaction ratings but low pay. "Low pay," in this case, was below the median salary of $41,673.83, as determined by the Social Security Administration. Significantly, all of these jobs are in high demand, which makes their low pay even more puzzling.
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Here were a few jobs that really stood out to us:
Medical Assistant: If you've been to a doctor's office, hospital, or clinic lately, you've been helped by a medical assistant. They do a mixture of administrative and medical work, helping out with everything from taking patient histories to changing dressings. Medical assistants make an average salary of $29,100 per year.
Real Estate Agent: If you were surprised to see this job on the list, you're not alone. Most people think of real estate agents as raking in the commissions, but like any job not based on a regular paycheck, financial rewards vary. The slow economy has affected real estate agents, who earn, on average, $39,070 annually.
Child, Family, and School Social Worker: If anyone should get a raise, it's these folks, who deal with custody, abuse, and adoption cases. Social workers earn an average annual salary of $40,680.
You can find the full list here.
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(Photo Credit: 401(K) 2012/Flickr)
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