The 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States 2024

Every job comes with its risks, and unfortunately, accidents happen at work. In 2018, there were 5,190 deaths from work related injuries in the USA. This was almost 9% more than the year before, which saw 4,764 people die because of their jobs. This means for every 100,000 people working full time, about 3.6 lost their lives due to work accidents.

In this article, we’re going to talk about the Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States. Some jobs are a lot riskier than others. We will see which jobs are the most dangerous, like construction work, fishing, logging, and police work.

Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States

We’ve included the 10 occupations with the highest death rates in 2023 and 2024. Fatal injury rates were calculated only for job titles held by at least 20,000 people and that reported at least four fatalities. Here are the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America:

 1. Logging workers

American logging is the most hazardous occupation. The fatal accident rate for loggers was 33 times higher than the national average.

Forests are harvested by loggers so that industrial items like wood, paper, cardboard, and other raw materials may be made. These laborers are mostly found in rural and wilderness locations, spending the vast majority of their time outside.

Heavy machinery is utilized by loggers to down trees and process logs. Accidental contact with logging equipment or logs is the leading cause of fatality for forestry workers. This leads to logging to be the most dangerous job in the United States.

• Fatal injury rate: 111 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 56
• Most common fatal accidents: Contact with objects and equipment
• Average Salary (USD): $40,000 – $50,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹29,60,000 – ₹37,00,000

2. Derrick operators in oil, gas, and mining

The three leading causes of death in the transportation industry are collisions with vehicles, items, and machinery. Derrick operators are on a high risk and this job is considered as one of the dangerous jobs in US.

Those who work in the oil industry build-up, maintain and operate the derricks and drills that mine for resources and produce gas and oil. Above a well, on a derrick, drilling equipment is held in position as the drill spins to move dirt. Pumps for extracting oil or other resources from the well may also be part of the derrick.

Two of the main causes of mortality for these personnel were accidents involving transportation and contact with items and equipment.

• BLS Category: Derrick, rotary drill, and service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining
• Fatal injury rate: 46 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 20
• Most common fatal accidents: Transportation incidents, contact with objects and equipment
• Average Salary (USD): $60,000 – $80,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹44,40,000 – ₹59,20,000.

3. Roofers

Roofers are responsible for installing, repairing, and replacing roofs on homes and buildings. Their work involves taking roofing materials such as shingles, metal, or other materials onto roofs and securing them. Roofers generally must use ladders or other equipment to climb on top of buildings. The most common cause of fatal work injury for roofers is falling off roofs or ladders.

The installation, maintenance, and replacement of roofs of buildings and residences are within the purview of roofers. Installing shingles, metal, or other roofing materials onto roofs is part of their job. To access roofs, roofers often rely on a variety of tools and equipment, including ladders. Among roofers, falls from ladders or roofs account for the majority of fatal job injuries.

• Fatal injury rate: 41 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 96
• Most common fatal accidents: Falls, slips, trips
• Average Salary (USD): $40,000 – $50,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹29,60,000 – ₹37,00,000

 4. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

A pilot is someone who operates and directs many forms of aircraft, including planes, helicopters, and more. As part of their job, pilots must examine the planes for damage before and after flights, make sure they’re balanced, and arrange for fuel and routes. A pilot’s duties in flight also include controlling the plane, talking to air traffic control, and keeping an eye on all the systems on board.

Instead of commercial jets flying on a regular schedule, most pilots die in disasters involving privately owned planes and helicopters.

• Fatal injury rate: 53 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 70
• Most common fatal accidents: Transportation incidents
• Average Salary (USD): $120,000 – $150,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹88,80,000 – ₹1,11,00,000

 5. Firefighting supervisors

Those in charge of firefighting are accountable for overseeing and directing the efforts of their colleagues. Fire prevention and control are part of this job. These supervisors are responsible for a variety of duties, including but not limited to: communicating with and dispatching vehicles, assessing the size and condition of fires, training and evaluating firefighters, and maintaining firefighting equipment.

Firefighting supervisors typically lose their lives in automobile accidents, followed by explosions and flames.

• BLS Category: First-line supervisors of fire fighting and prevention workers
• Fatal injury rate: 20 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 14
• Most common fatal accidents: Transportation incidents
• Average Salary (USD): $70,000 – $90,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹51,80,000 – ₹66,60,000

6. Power linemen

The most common reason people die in accidents is from being around dangerous stuff or places. A power lineman‘s job is to put up and fix the wires that bring electricity to homes and shops. Workers in this field transport power maintenance equipment to construction sites, and install, test, and repair electrical equipment by climbing electricity poles or using bucket trucks.

Electrocution is the leading cause of fatality among power linemen.

• BLS Category: Electrical power-line installers and repairers
• Fatal injury rate: 20 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 29
• Most common fatal accidents: Exposure to harmful substances or environments
• Average Salary (USD): $60,000 – $80,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹44,40,000 – ₹59,20,000

7. Crane operators

Being a crane operator in the USA is a risky job. It’s because they work high up and handle heavy things. This job needs careful attention to stay safe, the safe and efficient operation of any equipment used to raise goods, machinery, or other things falls within the purview of crane and tower operators. Lifting cargo off ships or transferring building materials to higher floors are two common tasks for crane operators at ports and construction sites, respectively. Accidents involving other vehicles, items striking cranes or their operators, and collisions between cranes themselves account for the vast majority of crane operator deaths.

• BLS Category: Crane and tower operators
• Fatal injury rate: 19 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 9
• The most common fatal accidents are collisions with vehicles, items, and machinery.
• Average Salary (USD): $50,000 – $70,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹37,00,000 – ₹51,80,000

8. Landscaping supervisors

The job of landscapers is to take care of lawns, and groundskeepers is overseen and coordinated by landscaping supervisors. Landscaping supervisors are responsible for overseeing landscaping projects, ensuring compliance with workplace regulations, conducting quality inspections, and providing workers with instructions on correct practices. Falls, which may happen when doing jobs like tree pruning from heights, are the leading cause of mortality for landscape professionals.

• BLS Category: First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
• Fatal injury rate: 18 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 48
• Most common fatal accidents: Falls, slips, trips
• Average Salary (USD): $50,000 – $60,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹37,00,000 – ₹44,40,000

9. Construction helpers

Helpers in the construction industry are those who work alongside tradespeople to do various tasks. Construction equipment installers, finishing contractors, foundation and exterior contractors, and others may fall into this category. Falls and trips are the leading causes of fatality for these workers on construction sites.

• BLS Category: Helpers, construction trades
• Fatal injury rate: 18 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 11
• Most common fatal accidents: Falls, slips, trips
• Average Salary (USD): $30,000 – $40,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹22,20,000 – ₹29,60,000

10. Heavy vehicle mechanics

Tractors, bulldozers, and cranes are just a few examples of the big machinery that heavy vehicle technicians fix and maintain. They can check equipment for proper operation by inspecting it, running diagnostics, doing planned maintenance, replacing parts, and so on. Deaths among these mechanics are most often caused by accidents involving transportation.

• BLS Category: Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians and mechanics
• Fatal injury rate: 14 per 100,000 workers
• Total deaths (2018): 27
• Most common fatal accidents: Transportation incidents, contact with objects and equipment
• Average Salary (USD): $45,000 – $55,000
• Average Salary (INR): ₹33,30,000 – ₹40,70,000

What is the most dangerous job in the world?

The most dangerous job in the world is commercial fishing. This job is very risky because of bad weather and the chance of falling into the sea. Other very risky jobs are logging (cutting down trees can cause accidents), piloting small planes (small planes can crash easily), mining (mines can collapse or have bad air), and roofing (people can fall from high places). These jobs are important but can be very dangerous.

Conclusion

We checked out the Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States. Every worker has to be aware of the dangers of their profession and what they can do if they are hurt on the job because thousands of people die every year. If you need help filing a workers’ compensation claim following a work-related accident, a lawyer specializing in this area can be of great assistance. Many employees will never be completely healed since their injuries on the job might be so devastating.

The 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States 2024 – FAQs

What is the number 1 most dangerous jobs in the United States?

The logging industry consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous jobs in the USA. Logging workers face various hazards, including working with heavy machinery, exposure to unpredictable weather conditions, and the potential for falling trees and debris.

What are the most risky jobs in the world?

Some of the riskiest jobs in the world include professions such as deep-sea fishing, logging, roofing, aircraft pilots, and flight engineers, where workers are exposed to high levels of physical danger, extreme conditions, and potential hazards.

What is the richest job in America?

In the United States, some of the highest-paying professions that contribute to considerable wealth include roles in the field of medicine, particularly surgeons and physicians, as well as certain executive positions in the technology and finance sectors. Additionally, entrepreneurs and business leaders often have the potential to accumulate substantial wealth.