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Some jobs in America carry risks far higher than others, and a new analysis by Resume Genius of federal data reveals which professions top the danger list in 2025.
By combining workplace fatality and injury rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics with hazard data from O*NET, researchers calculated a “risk/reward score” to measure whether salaries justify the hazards workers face.
Here are the 10 riskiest jobs in America in 2025:
- Logging Worker
- Fatalities: 98.9 per 100,000
- Injuries: 3,000 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $49,540
- Fatalities: 98.9 per 100,000
Logging ranks as the deadliest job, with workers facing falling trees, heavy machinery, and steep, uneven terrain. Fatality rates are nearly 30 times the national average.
- Roofer
- Fatalities: 51.8 per 100,000
- Injuries: 3,200 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $50,970
- Fatalities: 51.8 per 100,000
Roofers confront dangerous heights, severe weather, and slippery surfaces while installing or repairing roofs.
- Garbage Collector
- Fatalities: 41.4 per 100,000
- Injuries: 4,400 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $47,810
- Fatalities: 41.4 per 100,000
Refuse workers are exposed to heavy machinery, hazardous waste, and traffic hazards during daily routes.
- Pilot
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- Fatalities: 31.3 per 100,000
- Injuries: 4,400 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $198,100
- Fatalities: 31.3 per 100,000
While small aircraft pilots face higher risk, commercial airline pilots benefit from rigorous training and advanced safety systems, making pay disproportionately high relative to daily danger.
- Firefighter
- Fatalities: 27 per 100,000
- Injuries: 9,800 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $59,530
- Fatalities: 27 per 100,000
Firefighters face collapsing buildings, smoke, burns, and chemical exposure, with injury rates nearly double any other profession on this list.
- Truck Driver
- Fatalities: 26.8 per 100,000
- Injuries: 3,000 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $57,440
- Fatalities: 26.8 per 100,000
Long hours on the road, fatigue, traffic accidents, and unpredictable weather make trucking a physically and mentally demanding career.
- Iron and Steel Worker
- Fatalities: 19.8 per 100,000
- Injuries: 2,100 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $61,940
- Fatalities: 19.8 per 100,000
Working at extreme heights to build skyscrapers and bridges, these workers face risks from falls, crushing injuries, and harsh weather conditions.
- Farm Manager
- Fatalities: 19 per 100,000
- Injuries: 5,700 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $87,980
- Fatalities: 19 per 100,000
Despite the managerial title, farm managers operate heavy machinery and handle livestock, exposing them to frequent serious injuries.
- Electrical Power Line Technician
- Fatalities: 18.4 per 100,000
- Injuries: 1,600 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $92,560
- Fatalities: 18.4 per 100,000
Working at high voltages and climbing poles and towers, line technicians earn high pay for high-risk work.
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- Police and Detectives
- Fatalities: 11.75 per 100,000
- Injuries: 4,600 per 100,000
- Median Salary: $77,270
Officers face hazards from traffic, confrontations, and unpredictable emergencies, making law enforcement a high-risk yet financially stable career.
While professions like pilots and power line technicians offer high pay to offset risk, jobs such as logging, roofing, and refuse collection provide modest salaries relative to extreme danger, highlighting a stark imbalance between risk and reward for many American workers.
