In many upscale towns around the US, there is an expectation that their children will go to college and work in a white-collar profession. For the kids who don’t follow this path, they are looked down upon. It’s not fair or right, but it happens. However, this mindset may be slowly changing. The plan to go to college and everything will work out well, is stalling. Soaring tuition costs, and an oversaturated job market for college degree-holders, shows that there has to be a change.
There is a growing demand for skilled trades. Parents may start thinking about suggesting their children to take a look at vocations such as plumbing, electrical work, or other so-called less prestigious but well-paying jobs. These paths offer financial stability, job security, and personal fulfillment. They don’t have to deal with the overwhelming burdens of college debt or competing with artificial intelligence (AI) for a job.
“Dirty jobs” remain relatively unpopular among both college graduates and non-graduates. These roles are often physically demanding, hazardous, and socially stigmatized. For many families, especially middle and upper middle class parents, they see working in the trades as the last resort. Putting aside the unfortunate view, many of these jobs provide competitive salaries and job security due to persistent labor shortages in the trades sector.
Tough Work But Decent Salaries
Sanitation work, sewage treatment, slaughterhouse labor, and oil rig roughnecking are examples of dirty jobs that both college graduates and non-graduates tend to avoid. However, sanitation workers in New York City start at around $44,821 to $92,093 after 5.5 years, plus overtime and great union benefits.
These roles expose a societal blind spot. We congratulate university degrees and desk jobs while undervaluing the real hard work that sustains the country. For workers willing to get their hands dirty, these jobs offer a chance to defy cultural biases. The following jobs stand out as seen as undesirable, but essential. These are positions that both degree-holders and non-degree-holders avoid unless desperate.
Sanitation workers collect and dispose of residential and commercial waste. They work in the early mornings in all sorts of unpleasant weather conditions. The job involves heavy lifting, exposure to foul odors, and handling hazardous materials. The physical toll, unpleasant work environment, and low social prestige deter workers.
Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Worker
These workers maintain and operate systems that treat sewage and wastewater. It ensures public health and environmental safety. The position requires cleaning tanks, handling sludge, and working in confined spaces with toxic gases. The job’s exposure to human waste, dangerous chemicals, and cramped conditions is a major turnoff, for many people.
It requires technical skills but lacks the glamour to attract educated workers. Both college graduates and non-graduates tend to prefer less hazardous manual labor. The stigma of working in sewage further discourages applicants. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for 2024 shows a median annual wage of $51,600 for water and wastewater treatment plant operators. Experienced workers in urban areas can earn $75,000–$100,000, especially with certifications.
Slaughterhouse Worker
Slaughterhouse workers kill, process, and package livestock for food production. The work involves sharp tools, repetitive motions, and exposure to blood, animal remains, and cold temperatures in processing plants. The gruesome nature of the job, high injury rates including cuts, slips, and repetitive strain, and ethical concerns about animal cruelty make it unappealing. College graduates rarely consider it. Non-graduates often opt for less emotionally taxing roles.
The industry’s reliance on immigrant labor underscores its undesirability among native-born workers. BLS reports a median annual wage of $39,700 for slaughterers and meat packers in 2024. Skilled butchers or supervisors in large plants can earn $50,000–$70,000, with overtime boosting income.
Oil Rig Roughneck
Roughnecks work on offshore or land-based oil rigs, performing manual labor like drilling, pipe handling, and equipment maintenance. The job demands long shifts, often 12 hours, remote locations, and exposure to extreme weather and explosion risks.
The high danger of oil and gas extraction has a fatality rate 7 times the national average. Isolation including weeks away from home, and physical exhaustion deter workers. Graduates seek safer, office-based careers, while non-graduates avoid the lifestyle sacrifices. Oil rigs work are among jobs with some of the highest death rates. Few are willing to choose this type of job. BLS data for 2024 indicates a median annual wage of $54,300 for roustabouts in oil and gas. Experienced roughnecks can earn $72,500–$166,500 with bonuses for offshore work.
Why These Jobs Are Last Resorts
A number of factors make these jobs unappealing. All four roles involve grueling labor, health risks, and unpleasant conditions. Whether it’s the stench of garbage, the hazards of sewage, the gore of slaughterhouses, or the danger of oil rigs. These deter workers who have other options. Society often devalues “dirty” jobs, associating them with low status.
College graduates, burdened with debt and expectations of professional careers, view them as beneath their education. Non-graduates, while more open to manual labor, prefer less stigmatized roles like construction or retail.
Cultural Bias Against Blue-Collar Work
As Mike Rowe, a champion for the trade skills, noted in a 2011 Senate testimony, societal narratives glorify white-collar paths while dismissing skilled trades. With unemployment below 5% in 2025, workers can often find less demanding jobs. Even underemployed graduates, 52% work in roles not requiring degrees, prefer retail or office jobs over dirty work, despite lower pay.
Mike Rowe’s advocacy for blue-collar work highlights a need to rebrand these jobs. Highlighting their pay, benefits, and societal impact could attract workers. For instance, wastewater operators could be framed as “environmental protectors,” not just “sewage handlers.”
Compared to underemployed college graduates earning $40,000 in retail or food service, these jobs often pay better. The college premium earn 50% more than high school diploma holders, driving degree-holders to hold out for white-collar roles, even if it means barista gigs. Non-graduates, meanwhile, face competition from automation and outsourcing, pushing some toward these jobs reluctantly.
We Need These Workers, But They’re Looked Down Upon
These dirty jobs reveal a paradox. They’re essential to society yet chronically understaffed due to cultural and economic disconnects. Society tends to undervalue essential work. Sanitation, sewage treatment, food production, and energy extraction keep civilization running. But, these workers face disdain. This reflects a flawed value system prioritizing clean jobs over functional ones. If a sanitation strike hit New York, the city would grind to a halt.
The push for universal college degrees has flooded the market with graduates (35% of U.S. adults hold bachelor’s degrees) who shun blue-collar work, even when underemployed. Meanwhile, 67% of small-business owners report graduates lack practical skills for today’s needs. Trade schools and apprenticeships, which could fill these gaps, remain underfunded and stigmatized.
High salaries and low competition make these roles viable for pragmatic workers. A debt-free sanitation worker earning $70,000 in California outpaces many graduates struggling with $37,000 in student loans and $40,000 salaries. Programs like Project JumpStart, which train ex-offenders for trades, show how “dirty” jobs can offer stability.
Unfortunately, the dirty tough jobs may face other problems. AI and robotics are encroaching on even dirty jobs. Automated trash trucks and slaughterhouse robots are reducing demand for human labor. Workers entering these fields must upskill. This can include learning to maintain robotic systems to stay relevant.