A good number of people working in the US are actually quite miserable at their jobs. We all know that what really makes people happy at their workplace is a higher salary, however this trend doesn’t really hold. A good example is lawyers. These professionals make a median salary of $80,000, however their satisfaction levels can be compared to those workers that are in the bracket of $40,000 who get paid half of what lawyers make in a year.

You’ll be surprised to find out that some of the highest paid workers are some of the most miserable at work. While you might beg to differ, a recent survey actually proves this point. According to psychologists, some jobs are more depressing than others due to the level of stress that is involved, unpredictable and long hours that are required and the little control that some of the professionals have over them.

According to careercast, there are three categories of jobs that make employees miserable. the first includes those employees who risk their lives in order to make a living, and these are professionals such as policemen, military, and firemen. The second category of careers includes those that have physical demands, or on the job hazards, and professionals are often exposed to personal injury. The third and last category of employees that are prone to being miserable at work includes those whose careers don’t put them at any risk but require strict deadlines, such as writers, journalists, and lawyers.

19. Mine Workers

Well, you don’t need a lot of explanation for this one. There is no way mining can be a fun job, probably the only excitement that these professionals get out of this job is blowing up things using dynamite, and that’s it! Mining is actually a very risky career, and most professionals in this sector are prone to personal injury and occupational hazards. This job is probably going to make you miserable because most workers in a mine work long hours in dark, cramped conditions and are unable to see the sun or get a fresh breath of air for days. There’s the danger of being killed while in the mine and the depression of watching your fellow workers die at work.

18. Corporate Executives

Well if you work in this sector then you know that in order to get to the top you might have to sacrifice your life for the company. This profession will totally rob you of all your friends, family and hobbies. In short, it will rob you your life. It’s listed as one of the top professions that employees are likely to get divorced, and the reason behind this trend is the long, excruciating hours, the deadlines and the expectations. These lucrative white collar jobs might seem desirable, however those at the top are occasionally under constant pressure to increase revenues, make the stockholders money and to still be able to pass public scrutiny.

17. Newspaper Reporters

If you are a newspaper reporter or a journalist, then you know that time is of the essence. 9 months of work can be rendered useless because of a 5-minute delay. That’s the kind of pressure these people are forced to deal with. As a journalist, you need to understand that you have no personal time or space since schedules could change erratically and without warning. This means when there is a new story somewhere, you need to drop everything that you are doing and rush to the scene. This job is even stressful since a lot of newspapers are rushing to get into the internet age and layoffs are a serious concern.

16. Aviation Workers

The stakes are really high for these professionals, as they are tasked with flying planes safely. If they fail, they take a lot of people down with them. That’s a pretty heavy responsibility to bear. Air traffic controller also work under a lot of pressure, since they have to sit at their equipment for long hours and to make split-second decisions that could mean life or death for hundreds of people. Pilots also lack personal time, they travel a lot, and often their families feel neglected or fear to lose their loved one on every trip they make. They are also ranked among the top professionals that are likely to cheat or get divorced since they spend so much time away from home. At the end of the day, even with their high pay, there’s little to smile about.

15. Emergency Personnel

These professionals witness accidents on a daily basis from minor to the most catastrophic. Some of these professionals include firefighters, nurses, emergency medical technicians and the police. A surprising fact is that not all of these professionals get good pay, despite the pressure and psychological torture and trauma that they experience every day of their lives. Professionals in this line of work are prone to being miserable at work. Firefighters respond to emergency situations that can occur at any time or place, meaning few of them ever have any personal time, and they dedicate most of their lives for these jobs that pay minimally at the end of it all.

14. Medical professionals

These are surgeons, dentists and the like who are normally expected to fix other people’s ailments. They are usually under a lot of pressure to be able to focus and execute. Medical practitioners such as surgeons need to concentrate on precision for hours at a time. Psychologists need to listen keenly for hours, dentist is usually in their fleet for hours and medical interns simply work the hardest and never get any sleep. Apart from their normal expectations, the institutions that employ them expect them to be profitable. If a surgeon is operating a patient, they might be under pressure from the institution, the family and colleagues to make a successful operation, all these things are bound to make a medical practitioner miserable at work.

13. Teachers

While you might think most teachers feel their work is fulfilling, the truth is teachers barely have time for themselves. You might think that they have the perfect schedules getting to stay home for long holidays during the summer and around Christmas and all, but teachers are always working, and some work deep into the night. A lot of teachers take work home with them. At school they are always teaching, they rarely have time to make teaching schedules, set quizzes and exams, mark papers and make students reports. Apart from that, there is the constant pressure from the school and parents to ensure that their children are excelling in school.

12. Police Officers

Well, if there is a group of professionals who just get hate naturally, it has to be the policemen. While they are supposed to be the caretakers of the public, half the time they never get the love they offer back. These professionals risk their lives daily to serve and protect anytime a call comes in. They also need to be hyper vigilant at all times while at the same time practicing restraint to ensure that they don’t use excessive force, especially during split second decision making occurrences. They are usually under pressure to keep law and order, and lack time for themselves, especially when they are working on a case.

11. Deployed Military Personnel

These professionals have very accommodating benefits and pay, and they always enjoy it, as long as they can stay alive. The reason is, they don’t have the liberty to choose missions, and their lives are at the hands of the commanding officer who issues missions. There’s the never-ending fear of going back home in a casket, or worse, mutilated. Those who make it home might enjoy the benefits of their profession, but most of the time they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. This is usually a big concern and something that is yet to be dealt with. To be a soldier you have to have a strong heart and mind and this is a reason why very few of them will admit to having post-traumatic stress disorders. This condition usually breaks them, and might lead to suicide and worse.

10. Working Parents

This might be surprising, but ask any parent – parenting is a full-time job. Working parents have their own obligations and pressures from work, and when they drive back home, their kids are waiting, meaning other obligations are waiting to be met. There is never a division between the time that is spent working and time spent parenting, and this is usually a stressful combination that can never be balanced. Your children will always need attention that might come during the day, or during your overtime, while you’re trying to meet your deadlines. To make this all worse, some parents are policemen, news reporters, lawyers, soldiers and other professions on this list. Imagine that!

9. Social Worker

Have you ever put yourself in the shoes of a Social worker? Well, these employees are constantly placed in emergency situations where there is potential abuse, and violence is a norm. Usually, in such circumstances, no one wants to step in, and it’s always up to the work of the social worker to deal with the aftermath, and for peanuts! Their work involves having to advocate for those who are helpless. While they are often at the spot to help families in their next steps towards a better life, they have to have the heart to be sympathetic and not to break down while they experience family’s heartbreaking situations.

8. Emergency Dispatcher

The first part of this job just explains why it’s on the list of the jobs that are bound to make you miserable. Can you imagine witnessing a crime, rape or murder, but not having the ability to do anything? Well, half the time, these are the situations that dispatchers go through. When you call the police of the fire department they respond because you called, however they couldn’t have done that without the help of dispatchers. These professionals are usually at the frontline of emergencies and their response will mean life or death. Their work does not only involve collecting the address of the caller and giving it to the police, they are usually relied upon as the first responders.

7. Registered Nurses

Have you ever been to a hospital? Well, if you are unlucky like most of us, then you know the workers that are common in these institutions are nurses. Doctors only appear a handful of times and it’s usually brief. A nurse is responsible for all the details and you rely on them entirely. An emergency room in any hospital is hectic, it’s a very chaotic place to work. The nurses are the link between patients and doctors, they are responsible for most of the care and routine before you start treatment and during. If they make any mistakes during this process the results can be catastrophic. They also work long hours and the pay isn’t that good compared to the work they put in.

6. Firefighter

If you know a firefighter, then you know their jobs mainly involve running into burning buildings while everyone else is dying to get out. However, as much as this profession is fulfilling due to their importance in the community, it’s a profession where they are needed because someone somewhere is in dire need of their help. Much if their jobs involve battling infernos, assisting during accidents and making rescues. However, their working conditions are a danger to their lives and health. There’s usually a high risk of dying while on the job or succumbing to serious injuries. At the end of the day, what they earn doesn’t really reflect the risks they take and the hours they punch in.

5. Junior Investment Banker

Well, this is a job most grads think and they would die for. Well, it’s not all rosy for these professionals. They might bank hundreds of thousands every year, but money can’t buy happiness. According to practicing junior investment bankers, this profession is a terrible labor practice. Their employees can clock up to 120 hours a week, and if you are new to the game, you will be forced to do it. The load of work is overwhelming even with the high salary tags, with the base starting at $75,000 and bonuses that could double that amount. “Banks drain employees, they will take away all your youthful years, and you might never see your friends or family,” one junior investment banker admitted.

4. Sales managers

If you have ever worked as a sales person, then you know this is a really hard job. In case you hadn’t noticed, being in charge of sales is no walk in the park either. Despite these professionals making more than $123,150 per year, they still managed to be on the list of professionals who are miserable at work. So what’s really the problem? Well, most of them complain of the pressures involved in the job and feelings of boredom and emptiness. If you ask me, that’s not a great combination for any employee. Sales managers are accountable for their teams and targets set; they are always under constant pressure from their superiors to deliver.

3. Lawyers

Well, according to a survey done by Forbes back in 2013, lawyers topped the list of the unhappiest professionals. And while first-year associated working in big cities like Chicago and New York get paid around $160,000 a year, this kind of money is not buying them happiness. Lawyers are known for their high suicide rates and have the highest rates of depression among 100 other professions. It’s in fact stated that lawyers are 3 times more likely than average to be depressed. If you are looking to be a lawyer, then you better start looking for a therapist as well. Long hours at work and institutional expectations normally get the best of them.

2. Dentists

To be totally honest, most dentists get really unhappy and depressed because they get out of college with a huge student loan. If it’s not sad enough to start out your career on that note, their jobs always come with a lot of pressures, but not as much as the prestige of running their own practice. With all these factors, dentists are among the few professionals who get paid a lot but are really not happy at their job. The annual pay for a dentist is about $155,000, which is a lot to be depressed about. If you have heard the jokes that go around about dentists, then you might really understand why they get this miserable.

1. Senior Production Managers

This is clearly a big job and one that pays handsomely, too. While you would expect them to be happy enjoying their new German sports cars or laughing away in the gentleman’s club, these professionals have a lot to think about. While they are at the top, they are still answerable to the stockholders, and they are usually under pressure to deliver results from those they command. A production manager job is a full-time job, and to get to that position you might need to dedicate your whole life and all your energy to get there. Their families often feel neglected because of the constant and long travel hours involved. They are also always too involved in work. A person in this profession is the definition of a busy bee.