Have you ever asked yourself ‘what are the manliest jobs that still exist today?’ So have we….today we will dive into 20 of the manliest jobs.
Before we get into it, it’s important to note that we are not saying that women can’t or shouldn’t choose any of the below professions. A man, or woman, should choose their own career path based on their skills, passions, and financial goals regardless of whether a job is considered manly or not.
In fact, women represent a high percentage of employees in some of the professions mentioned. Moreover, according to a study by Catalyst, the number of women in male-dominated professions rose between 2016 and 2018.
Our goal is simply to give you a list of careers that, from our research and observation, are generally considered manly.
Without further ado, here are 21 of the ‘manliest’ jobs in the world.
01 Military personnel
Serving in the military is widely considered one of the manliest professions. There is a lot of responsibility and a high physical and emotional commitment.
Military service encompasses a wide range of jobs and specialisms including special forces, air force pilots, and foot soldiers, almost all of which require physical prowess and the ability to perform in highly stressful situations.
According to Chron, salaries for US soldiers in 2018 started at $1,638.30 per month.
02 Firefighters
Firefighters are deemed to be one of the manliest professions in the world, as they must have an incredibly high level of bravery.
A firefighter will face life-threatening situations on a regular basis in order to help others. There is little more manly than this.
This is one of the most male-dominated professions with research by Zippia suggesting that almost 90% of firefighters in the US are men.
According to Indeed, firefighters earn an average base salary of just under $52,000 per year.
03 Police officers
Police officers are given the immense responsibility of keeping others safe and upholding the law.
Law enforcement is every bit as manly as superhero movies suggest.
Data from Indeed suggests police officers earn an average salary of approximately $55,000 per year.
04 Construction workers
Construction workers are responsible for the development of many aspects of society, including buildings, roads, and railways.
Construction workers are highly physically fit and there is undoubtedly something manly about creating things, particularly large buildings, with one’s hands.
As you might have guessed this is a male-dominated profession. According to an article by Chron, more than 90 percent of construction workers in the US are men.
According to US News, construction workers in the US earn a median salary of just below $38,000 per year.
05 Loggers
Loggers are typically laborers who cut down trees. They are often extremely physically fit, as they must be able to perform this task in high levels of harsh environmental conditions. There is no doubt that logging is a highly physically demanding profession that requires one to be inherently strong and capable.
A post by Salary.com suggests that the average salary of a logger in the US is around $40,000.
06 Truck drivers
Truck drivers are extremely physically demanding men. They must be able to manipulate and operate large, heavy machinery with great precision in order to navigate difficult terrain. They also must remain alert at all times, as they can face dangerous situations at any given moment.
According to Catalyst, in 2020 in the US women accounted for less than 8% of drivers/sales workers and truck drivers.
Data by Indeed shows that the average salary of a truck driver in the USA is just over $80,000 per year.
07 Welding and machinists
Welding and machinists are some of the most physically active professions you can find.
One must be able to move around and work on large machinery. These professions are also highly labor-intensive.
Welders in the USA make just under $18 per hour according to Indeed.
08 Farmers
Farming is a manly profession that requires a large amount of physical activity.
There is something inherently manly about being able to take care of yourself and feed your family.
Women represent just 24 percent of farmers in the US.
Incomes range greatly for farmers but according to the USDA, in 2020 the median income from farming for households operating commercial farms was just over $164,000.
09 MMA fighters/trainers
MMA fighters and trainers are incredibly physically fit and skilled.
One must be capable of performing in a highly strenuous and physically demanding environment in order to become an MMA fighter or trainer.
Competing with some of the toughest and most talented fighters out there is no task for the weak. MMA fighters might be said to be modern-day gladiators.
According to Comparably, salaries for MMA fighters in the USA range from just under $20,000 to just over $187,000 per year.
10 Airline pilot
Pilots are highly skilled and trained professionals who are typically given a high amount of respect in society. Pilots fly the planes that take us to our destinations and back. This is a job with much responsibility.
Disappointingly, just 5.2 percent of pilots and flight engineers are women.
According to APT Flight School, commercial pilots earn about $93,000 per year.
11 Oil rig worker
Oil rig workers are some of the most physical and demanding types of workers. They must follow strict safety precautions while performing intense labor in order to help complete even more strenuous manual tasks.
As detailed by Zip Recruiter, the average salary for this profession is about $75,000 per year.
12 Carpenter
Carpenters are typically responsible for the construction of large infrastructure and buildings. They must be able to work with their hands, as well as use their minds and intellects in order to accomplish a manly task.
According to Salary.com, carpenters in the US make an average of $57,000 per year.
13 Lawyer
Lawyers are often the best suited for dealing with tough situations and cases. They possess a broad range of skills and intellect, which allows them to properly manage all types of cases.
It’s also an extremely competitive career, which many men enjoy.
Despite often being considered a manly career, however. Women account 37% of all lawyers in the US.
As detailed by US News, the median salary for a lawyer in 2020 was almost $127,000 per year.
14 CEO
Chief Executive Officers, who typically work as the leaders of large corporations, are responsible for the decisions that affect thousands if not millions of people. They are required to be decisive and efficient in order to lead in the business world.
As you might imagine, salaries vary greatly for CEO’s. However, Payscale suggests that the average base salary for this profession is $156,000 per year.
15 Engineer
Engineers are considered to be some of the most highly skilled and intelligent professionals, who are responsible for designing new equipment and infrastructure.
Engineers must have a wide range of mindpower and faculties in order to develop high-tech equipment that benefits society in some way.
According to Catalyst, in 2020 women represented just 16% of civil engineers in the United States. The figure for mechanical engineers was even lower at just 8.7%.
US News suggests, civil engineers made an average of $88,000 per year in 2020.
16 Architect
Architects are responsible for the creation and construction of buildings. They must also have enough mind power to design a structure that is aesthetically pleasing as well as functional.
Perhaps surprisingly, only 25 percent of architects are female.
At the time of writing, data by indeed shows that the average base salary for an architect is $85,000 per year.
17 Mechanic
Mechanics are responsible for the upkeep and study of vehicles, which is a physically demanding task. Mechanics must be able to work with their hands in order to give the vehicles they care for the utmost quality of maintenance possible.
Mechanics in the USA make an average of $23.60 per hour according to Indeed.
18 Leatherworker
Leatherworkers are responsible for the creation of high-quality leather products, which are extremely expensive and thus, very manly. Leatherworkers must have a high degree of manual dexterity and physical skill in order to accomplish their task.
While this may vary significantly, Comparably suggest that the average salary for a leather craftsman or woman in the US is around $24,000 per year.
19 Physician
Physicians are highly trained professionals who are able to perform surgery, make diagnoses, and treat patients.
They possess a wide range of talents that enables them to save lives.
As you might be aware, Physician salaries are some of the highest with the Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2021 suggesting that the average compensation for primary care physicians is $260,000 with specialists making considerably more.
20 Paramedic
Paramedics are highly skilled professionals who focus primarily on emergency medical treatment. They must possess a strong disposition in order to be able to assess and handle emergency situations efficiently.
Salary.com suggests that Paramedics in the US earn a median of $46,000 per year.
21 Software Developer
Software developers contribute to the creation of new applications and programs, which are then used by millions of people all over the world.
This profession, perhaps surprisingly, is also quite male-dominated. More than 80% of software developers are men.
Software developers are typically well paid with the average base salary in the US coming in just short of $90,000, according to PayScale.
We hope that you found this post interesting.
If you are interested in diving into more detail on this, we would recommend checking out this study by Catalyst.
We acknowledge that this list is non-exhaustive. If there are some manly professions that we have overlooked, go ahead and let us know in the comments!