There are different kinds of quack doctors. Some are just out to make a quick buck and prey on the sick, while others really, truly believe that they’ve found the next miracle cure or that they’re going to heal all the ills that plague mankind. But both kinds of quacks would be nothing without the people who believed them.

10 Louis XIV And The Royal Touch

There’s a lot of pressure and responsibility that goes along with being the monarch, and quite a few monarchs have been said to possess the “royal touch” and the capability to heal illnesses—especially scrofula, a type of tuberculosis. The idea started with England’s Edward the Confessor during his rule, which ended in 1066. Even Henry VIII was said to have the touch, which he passed along to ill subjects in the form of a protective coin that they could wear around their necks.

Some monarchs pushed the royal touch more than others. France’s Louis XIV saw around 3,000 people during his coronation alone, all waiting to be saved and cured by the touch of the king. Over the course of his reign, he was said to have touched, and perhaps healed, around 350,000 people.

The gift was said to be passed on by a particular oil by which the new king was consecrated. It had been handed down from king to king and had originally been brought to Earth by a dove that appeared at the 496 baptism of King Clovis. Kept in Reims Cathedral for hundreds of years, it was said to be the heaven-sent oil that bestowed healing powers on the kings.

Some monarchs discouraged it, with some—like William III—saying that good sense would most likely be more useful than a king’s touch. Eventually, it fell out of favor, and that happened largely with Louis XIV. The fate of the royal touch was helped along by an observation by Voltaire, who had stated that if he really did have the ability to cure scrofula by the touch, he certainly should have cured his mistress, who instead ultimately died from it.

9 Dr. Adolf Fritz, Ghost Surgeon

According to the story, Dr. Adolf Fritz was a German medic who died during World War I. Not content to leave his life’s work unfinished, he began possessing the bodies of Brazilian men, turning them not exactly into surgeons, but into faith healers.

His first occupation was of Ze Arigo, who acted as a vessel for the German doctor until 1971. Part of his routine was that he would visit with an ill person, and then write out a cryptic prescription for whatever it was that was ailing them. Conveniently, the only person who was able to read his handwriting was his brother, who also conveniently happened to be a pharmacist. Later, he moved on to psychic surgery, which he performed without cutting into the patient, removing tumors and such from bodies without leaving a mark on them.

Ze Arigo died in 1971, but Dr. Fritz showed up in a couple more bodies. Currently, he’s inhabiting Rubens Farias Jr., and he’s moving on from just plain psychic surgery to astral healing and a sort of medicine that treats a spiritual “body” in order to cure the physical one.

In 1997, members of the Heart Disease Research Foundation visited Farias and witnessed him in action. Diagnosis took only a few seconds, and most patients were given a shot containing an unidentified brown liquid, usually given around the area of the complaint. Occasionally, he actually performed a brand of surgery, usually assisted by actual, qualified medical personnel.

He ended up getting attention from the police in 1999, and when his office was raided, it was found that in addition to a stash of rather conventional medicines he was giving away without a license, he also had an armed guard with an illegal weapon, and plenty of allegations of fraud—including one from the illegally armed guard, swearing that people had died in his custody before being taken to a more traditional hospital.

Needless to say, no real evidence of an actual World War I surgeon named Dr. Fritz has ever surfaced, either.

8 Johanna Brandt’s Grape Cure

According to Johanna Brandt’s 1925 book, The Grape Cure, her method and medicine is mankind’s only hope to completely overcome cancer. She stresses that her methods are great as preventatives as well, and that following her instructions will help keep people cancer-free and even destroy cancer.

Her instructions are fairly simple. You have to prepare the body, first, with two or three days of fasting, drinking lots of water, and a few warm-water-and-lemon-juice enemas. All that means is the grapes will have a clean slate on which to start working their magic. After that, you have a few glasses of water, and your first grapes-only meal. Then you follow it with grapes-only meals every two hours from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and repeat for a week or two.

A week or two may also be a month. Her directions aren’t really all that specific, but she is incredibly specific about the idea that you only eat grapes. You can eat all the different parts of grapes, and all the different colors of grapes (presumably, so you don’t get sick of eating grapes), but she definitely wants you to eat only grapes. At the very least, you should be eating 0.5 kilograms (1 lb) of grapes every day and 2 kilograms (4 lb) at the most. If you start to feel upset or resentful at the mere mention of grapes, skip a few meals, because in order to work best, you have to embrace and enjoy the grapes.

Needless to say, the American Cancer Society says that while grapes are, in fact, good for you, they’re not going to be curing cancer by themselves any time soon.

7 Peter Mandel And Colorpuncture

In the 1960s, Peter Mandel developed a new process of healing that balanced acupuncture, holistic healing and spirituality. He believed that the cause of sickness was an imbalance in the unconscious mind and the physical body, and that everything could be brought back to harmony with something he called colorpuncture, or acu-light therapy.

Colorpuncture is exactly what it sounds like. The therapy uses all the points of acupuncture, but applies different lights with different color frequencies to those points. According to Mandel, the application of color to the right places on the body helps to fix the relationship between the soul and the body, easing the stress between the two that is ultimately making the person ill. Light is applied to the skin using an “acu-light wand,” which not only applies the light but focuses it as well.

And, in order to ensure other parts of the body are in harmony with the treatment, practitioners also use things like healing crystals and sound therapy along with the colorpuncture. Mandel’s US Esogetic Colorpuncture Institute claims success in treating migraines, sleep disorders, respiratory disorders, and learning disorders in children.

6 Charles Baunscheidt And Baunscheidtism

On page 33 of his book on Baunscheidtism, 1800s doctor Charles Baunscheidt tells his reader that they’re on the cusp of numerous medical breakthroughs, all stemming from the realization that bloodletting probably isn’t the way to go about curing disease and illness. He hopes that soon, the world will stop the practice altogether, because he has something much, much better in mind—the Lebenswecker.

Also called the Resuscitator, Baunscheidt’s medical tools are needles—very, very sharp needles. Poking the skin with the needles allows the bad stuff that’s making a person sick to drain away in a method that is much safer than bloodletting, according to Baunscheidt. Baunscheidt’s methods were incredibly popular, beginning with his first designs of the tool that he perfected in 1865. It was so popular, in fact, that the company that continued to produce the Lebensweckers only stopped doing so when it was bombed by Allied forces in 1944.

Later, Baunscheidt would go on to add the use of oils to his practice, saying that application of his secret concoction to the skin would help draw out the toxins faster. The more irritated the skin was in this secondary source of trauma, the more distracted the body would get by it and the faster the original illness would drain away. He had quite the list of illnesses and troubles it was supposed to cure, ranging from baldness to whooping cough to a variety of mental illnesses.

5 James Morison And The Vegetable Universal Pills

When it comes to the world of medicine, James Morison is an incredibly interesting and rather two-sided character. On one hand, he was pretty revolutionary in his thinking. He believed that illnesses in the body were ultimately caused by something in the blood, and that the mind and body were linked in both health and sickness. On the other hand, he derided doctors, saying that prescribing too much medication to their patients was nothing short of a criminal act. He also thought that he had found the perfect cure for everything—his miracle Vegetable Universal Pills.

Originally a businessman, he started his campaign in 1825. He was so interested in just helping people that he originally gave his pills away; when no one was taking it seriously, he decided to charge for them. Five years later, he was making what today would be approximately $4 million a year; he eventually built the British College of Health to sell the pills from.

Throughout the decade, Morison wasn’t without his problems. He was confronted a few times with lawsuits claiming that overdosing on his pills had caused more than a few deaths, but it wasn’t long before he was over that little setback, with his pills clearly advertised and labeled as only the real thing. According to the claims, they were good for curing anything from cholera to jaundice to liver ailments. They could even relieve limb and joint pain and treat snakebites.

Morison died in 1840, and his son was content at that point to just let the company run itself. The pills themselves went through a few different variations, and by the 1900s it was found that they actually contained ingredients like myrrh, aloe, and rhubarb.

4 William Bates And Sun Gazing

When it comes to remembering little bits of knowledge that we first learn when we’re young, one of those is invariably something about not staring at the Sun because it’ll hurt your eyes. That’s the exact opposite of the instructions of ophthalmologist William Bates.

According to Bates’s turn-of-the-century techniques, looking directly at the Sun was precisely how you kept your eyes healthy and your vision sharp. He recommended regular sun gazing, and specified some eye exercises that you could do while you were staring at the Sun. He suggested circling the Sun with your eyes, then moving them in a figure eight pattern in order to strengthen your eye muscles and your vision. The point was that the light waves from the sun were necessary to keep your body and your eyes functioning at a healthy level, and they needed to be exposed to the full spectrum of light to keep vision from getting weak.

The Bates Method is still around, too—although now, the suggested technique is called “sunning,” and it involves keeping your eyes closed.

3 Royal Rife And His Cancer Zapper

There are two different points of view when it comes to the work of Royal Rife. Some people insist that he’s an absolute and outright fraud, while others insist that he was unfairly targeted by major medical organizations and his works shut down, because they didn’t really want the cure to cancer to get out.

Working in the 1930s, Royal Raymond Rife (alternately an optics engineer, a chauffeur, and a mechanic) created a microscope with a massive rate of magnification. (He also claimed he had a degree from Georgia Tech, but Georgia Tech has denied that.) The microscope allowed him to see all the germs and bacteria that he said were responsible for human illness, and because it’s no good having that knowledge if you can’t do something about it, he built a beam ray that he claimed could target and destroy the microbes that were causing illness. He started using the ray on patients in exchange for donations to his work, but his inventions were ultimately confiscated by the FDA.

Rife claimed that while he had been conducting his trials, he had successfully cured 15 cancer patients that had otherwise been told their cancers were untreatable. After 60 days with his beam therapy, they were cured.

The dismissal of his findings and the ultimate suppression of his work was the stuff that conspiracy theorists love. Even today, there are plenty of theories about how and why Rife’s work was shut down by the so-called “medical mafia,” who orchestrated a downfall steeped in bribes and betrayals, ultimately leading to the end of his medical career, even though there are still a handful of his devoted followers trying to resurrect his methods.

2 Ryke Geerd Hamer And German New Medicine

No one can deny that Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer suffered a terrible tragedy when his 17-year-old son was shot and murdered while on holiday. That moment was the turning point not only in Hamer’s life, but also in his career; it wasn’t long after his son’s death that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

And he realized that the two were invariably linked.

Hamer claims to have examined the lives of thousands and thousands of cancer patients, and he kept finding the same thing over and over—that their cancer diagnosis came after an incredibly traumatic event. He concluded that shock and surprise were the main causes of cancer, and that the development of the disease was the body’s response to the situation.

He calls this response the Meaningful Special Biological Program(MSBP), and the event that causes is it is the Dirk Hamer Syndrome (DHS), after his son. From the moment of the DHS, it’s possible that the outcome is eventually cancer. Oftentimes, the part of the body impacted will have something to do with what the crisis was—a mother worrying about her child will develop breast cancer, for instance.

In response, he developed something he called German New Medicine, and he says that not only is it based on common sense, but it’s pretty much the exact opposite of what regular doctors will have you doing. Instead of the traditional things like chemotherapy and radiation, the first step in recovery is therapy that reduces the original stress that started the process, thereby reversing it.

1 Norman Baker And The Crescent Hotel

Norman Baker was pretty prolific in his endeavors. He ran for the US Senate and for governor of Iowa, he was a popular radio host, organizer of a vaudeville troupe and magic show, a machinist, a high school dropout and, if his claims were to be believed, the man who discovered a cure for cancer.

Baker had the ear of an incredible portion of the country, as his anti-Catholic, anti-Semite, Republican, and small-town supporter radio show could often be heard across the country. When Herbert Hoover was elected president, Baker even got an invitation to meet with him. It was in 1929, though, that he slammed the American Medical Association and declared that he was the one that could cure cancer. Along the way, he took on a whole host of subjects that he said were causing health problems for people, including fluoride in the water and aluminum pots.

In 1930, his vaudeville showmanship came in handy when he staged a massive show in front of 17,000 people to demonstrate that he could, in fact, cure cancer. In front of the witnesses, his assisting medical team removed part of a patient’s skull, performed the magical cure, and declared him cancer-free. Two years later, he was on trial for peddling a cancer cure that was nothing more than a concoction of water, watermelon seeds, clover, and corn silk.

Eventually shut down by the Federal Radio Commission, Baker made his way to the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and promptly painted the entire Victorian mansion purple, black, orange, yellow, and red, turning it into a sort of holistic healing retreat. It was while he was selling his miracle cures at the Crescent Hotel that he got in trouble for mail fraud and was eventually shut down for good.

Most people trust their doctors to provide the best possible care when it comes to medical treatments. However, there exists a world of unconventional and controversial therapies that, despite their bizarre nature, continue to attract attention and debate. These treatments often come with bold claims and a following of devoted practitioners, yet they remain outside the bounds of mainstream medicine for various reasons. Whether due to lack of scientific evidence, potential harm, or just plain absurdity, these treatments are ones your doctor is likely to frown upon.

Some of these methods have roots in traditional medicine, while others have emerged from the fringes of the health and wellness community. Regardless of their origins, they share a common thread: Mainstream medical professionals typically advise against them. This is not just because these treatments are unconventional but because many lack the rigorous testing and proven benefits that are hallmarks of effective medical care.

In this list, we explore ten medical treatments that your doctor probably won’t approve of. These are not just quirky health tips or harmless home remedies; they are practices that can be risky, controversial, and sometimes downright dangerous. Buckle up as we delve into the strange and sometimes shocking world of medical treatments you won’t find in your doctor’s office.

Related: 10 Medical Miracles Doctors Still Can’t Explain

10 Drinking Your Own Urine: The Ultimate DIY Health Hack

The practice of drinking one’s own urine, also known as urine therapy, has a long history and has been promoted by some as a natural remedy for a wide array of ailments, from infections to cancer. Advocates claim urine contains valuable nutrients and antibodies to boost the immune system and detoxify the body. Despite these bold claims, medical professionals warn that there is no scientific evidence to support the health benefits of drinking urine. In fact, consuming urine can lead to the ingestion of waste products and toxins that the body has already expelled, posing serious health risks.

While some cultures and alternative medicine enthusiasts continue to promote urine therapy as a cure-all, it remains a highly controversial and largely discredited practice in the medical community. The human body has an efficient system for filtering out waste products through the kidneys, and urine is essentially a vehicle for removing these wastes. Reintroducing them into the body by drinking urine can potentially lead to kidney damage, infections, and other health complications. It’s a health hack that your doctor is almost certain to advise against.^[1]

9 Leech Therapy: Bloodsucking Parasites for Modern Healing

Leech therapy, or hirudotherapy, may sound like a medieval relic, but it continues to find a place in modern alternative medicine. Proponents claim that leeches can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including arthritis, migraines, and even cardiovascular diseases. The therapy involves placing live leeches on the skin, where they attach and draw blood.

The leeches’ saliva contains anticoagulants and enzymes that are believed to enhance blood circulation and promote healing. Despite these claims, the practice remains controversial. It is often met with skepticism from the medical community due to the risks of infection and the availability of more effective treatments.

While leech therapy has historical roots dating back to ancient Egypt and Greece, its resurgence in the modern era is largely confined to niche circles and specific medical conditions. The FDA has approved leeches for limited use in reconstructive surgery to help restore blood flow to damaged tissues.

Still, healthcare professionals do not endorse their use outside of these contexts. The potential for allergic reactions and bacterial infections makes leech therapy a treatment that most doctors would advise against, especially given the advances in safer, more reliable medical practices.^[2]

8 Ear Candling: A Smoky Solution for Earwax Woes?

Ear candling, also known as thermal-auricular therapy, involves inserting a hollow candle made of fabric and beeswax into the ear canal and lighting it. The idea is that the heat and smoke created by the burning candle produce a vacuum that draws out earwax and impurities. Despite its popularity in some wellness circles, medical professionals caution against this practice.

Research has shown that ear candling is not only ineffective at removing earwax but can also pose significant risks, such as burns, ear canal blockages, and even eardrum perforation. Proponents of ear candling claim that it can also help with a variety of other health issues, such as sinus infections, headaches, and even improving overall hearing. However, these claims lack scientific backing.

Studies have demonstrated that any debris found after ear candling is typically candle wax, not earwax and that the supposed benefits are more likely a result of the placebo effect rather than any real therapeutic action. Given the potential for harm and the absence of proven benefits, mainstream medical advice strongly discourages the use of ear candling.

Safe and effective methods for earwax removal, such as using ear drops or visiting a healthcare professional, are recommended over this smoky and risky alternative. Your doctor is almost certain to disapprove of ear candling as a viable health treatment.^[3]

7 Cupping Therapy: Ancient Practice with Modern Celebrity Endorsement

Cupping therapy, a traditional practice rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, involves placing heated glass or silicone cups on the skin to create a vacuum. This suction is believed to enhance blood flow, relieve muscle tension, and promote overall healing. The practice has gained renewed popularity in recent years, thanks partly to endorsements from high-profile athletes and celebrities who showcase their telltale circular bruises. Despite its ancient origins and modern revival, scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of cupping therapy remains limited and inconclusive.

Proponents of cupping therapy argue that it can help treat a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, respiratory issues, and even cellulite. However, the mechanism by which cupping might produce these effects is not well understood, and many studies suggest that the benefits are comparable to those of a placebo. Critics also point out that the bruising and skin irritation caused by the cups can sometimes lead to discomfort and other complications.

Mainstream medical practitioners often view cupping with skepticism due to the lack of robust clinical evidence and the potential for side effects. While some individuals swear by the practice, it is generally considered an unproven alternative therapy. Doctors typically recommend evidence-based treatments that have been rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness over more anecdotal methods like cupping.^[4]

6 Apitherapy: Bee Venom as a Controversial Cure

Apitherapy, the use of bee products like venom, honey, and royal jelly for medicinal purposes, has a history dating back thousands of years. The most intriguing and controversial aspect of apitherapy is bee venom therapy, where live bee stings are applied to the skin in a controlled manner. Proponents claim that bee venom contains compounds that can alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and even treat conditions such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Despite its ancient roots and passionate advocates, the practice remains highly controversial in the medical community.

Scientific research on the effectiveness of bee venom therapy is limited and often inconclusive. While some studies suggest potential benefits, they are often small and lack rigorous methodology. More importantly, bee venom can cause severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. Because of these risks and the lack of robust evidence supporting its efficacy, most doctors advise against bee venom therapy. Safer, more proven treatments are preferred for managing pain and inflammation.^[5]

5 Chelation Therapy: Removing Heavy Metals at a High Risk

Chelation therapy involves administering a chemical solution, typically EDTA, to remove heavy metals like lead and mercury from the bloodstream. While this therapy is approved for treating heavy metal poisoning, some proponents claim it can also benefit those with heart disease by removing calcium deposits from arteries.

The idea is that chelation might help clear clogged arteries and improve blood flow. Still, this application remains highly controversial and unproven according to mainstream medical research. Studies on the efficacy of chelation therapy for heart disease have shown mixed results, with most reputable organizations, including the Mayo Clinic, advising caution.

Potential side effects of chelation therapy can be severe and include kidney damage, low blood calcium levels, and allergic reactions. The treatment is risky, especially when used for conditions other than heavy metal poisoning, and lacks substantial evidence to support its use for heart disease or other chronic ailments. Medical professionals generally recommend against using chelation therapy for heart conditions, advocating for more conventional and well-supported treatments instead.^[6]

4 Coffee Enemas: A Risky Brew for Detoxification

Coffee enemas, a method where coffee is introduced into the colon through the rectum, have gained popularity in alternative health circles as a means of detoxifying the body and improving liver function. Proponents claim that the caffeine in coffee stimulates the liver to expel toxins more effectively and can improve digestion and boost energy levels. However, these claims are largely anecdotal, with no substantial scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of coffee enemas.

Despite the popularity of this detox method, medical professionals strongly caution against its use due to significant health risks. Coffee enemas can lead to serious complications such as rectal burns, infections, electrolyte imbalances, and even colitis. The process of introducing a foreign substance into the colon can disrupt the natural bacterial flora and lead to potentially harmful side effects. Additionally, there is no credible scientific evidence that coffee enemas provide any detoxification benefits beyond what the body already accomplishes naturally through the liver and kidneys.

Mainstream medicine generally advises against using coffee enemas for detoxification, emphasizing that the body’s natural detox systems are sufficient for maintaining health. Instead, a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle are recommended for optimal liver and overall health. Given the risks and lack of proven benefits, doctors are unlikely to approve coffee enemas as a safe or effective health treatment.^[7]

3 Maggot Therapy: Unlikely Healers in Wound Care

Maggot therapy, also known as larval therapy, involves using live, disinfected maggots to treat non-healing wounds by consuming dead tissue. This practice, which dates back to ancient times, has experienced a resurgence in modern medicine for its effectiveness in cleaning chronic wounds, such as diabetic ulcers and pressure sores.

The maggots secrete enzymes that liquefy dead tissue, which they then ingest, effectively cleaning the wound and promoting the growth of healthy tissue. Despite the initial “ick factor,” maggot therapy has been shown to be an efficient and cost-effective treatment in certain medical contexts. However, maggot therapy is not without its downsides and is usually reserved for cases where conventional treatments have failed. The psychological discomfort for patients is significant, and there is always a risk of infection if the maggots are not properly sterilized.

While the FDA has approved the use of maggots for treating specific types of wounds, the practice is not widely endorsed for general use due to the availability of other, more accepted medical treatments. Most doctors will recommend alternative wound care options before resorting to maggot therapy.^[8]

2 Miracle Mineral Solution: A Dangerous “Cure-All”

Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) is marketed by some as a cure-all for a wide range of diseases, from malaria and cancer to autism and HIV. This solution is essentially a mixture of sodium chlorite and an acid, such as citric acid, which forms chlorine dioxide when combined. Chlorine dioxide is a potent industrial bleach, and ingesting it can cause severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Despite these risks, MMS continues to be promoted in various alternative health circles, often with claims that are unsupported by scientific evidence.

Regulatory agencies like the FDA have issued warnings about the dangers of MMS, highlighting that it is not only ineffective for treating the conditions it claims to cure but also potentially life-threatening. The FDA has received numerous reports of severe adverse reactions and even deaths linked to the ingestion of MMS. The promotion of this product as a miracle cure is not only misleading but also dangerous, putting vulnerable individuals at risk of serious health complications.

Given the significant health risks and the lack of proven benefits, MMS is widely disapproved by the medical community. Most healthcare professionals strongly advise against using MMS for any purpose, emphasizing the importance of seeking evidence-based treatments for health conditions. The consensus is clear: Miracle Mineral Solution is not a safe or effective treatment, and its use should be avoided to prevent potentially devastating consequences.^[9]

1 The Baby Drop: A Shocking Ritual for Good Fortune

In parts of India, a startling ritual known as “baby dropping” has been practiced for over 700 years, with the belief that it brings good health and luck to infants. This ritual involves dropping babies from a height of approximately 30 to 50 feet off temple roofs into a cloth held by villagers below. It is primarily observed by certain Hindu and Muslim communities, who trust that the practice will ensure their children’s robust health and prosperous futures. The ritual is particularly common in the state of Karnataka, where it continues to attract significant attention and controversy.

Despite its cultural significance, the practice has been met with widespread condemnation from medical professionals and child welfare advocates who highlight the serious risks involved. Experts warn that dropping infants from such heights, even when caught in a cloth, can cause severe physical and psychological trauma. The potential for injury, including brain damage and developmental issues, is significant, prompting concerns over the well-being of these children. The practice has drawn criticism for being hazardous and anachronistic, given a modern understanding of child health and safety.

Efforts to end the baby drop ritual have increased, with local authorities and human rights organizations working to educate communities about the dangers and encourage safer alternatives. However, the ritual persists in some areas due to deep-seated cultural beliefs and resistance to change. Most health professionals and child advocates urge against continuing this practice, emphasizing that protecting children’s health and safety should take precedence over traditional customs.^[10]

On average, standard medical doctors who practice in the United States make more than $180K annually, while specialists can make up to twice that amount! That’s a pretty good deal—they get to help people and potentially save lives. In exchange, they get more than enough money to pay off the several years of schooling it took to earn their medical license and then some!

But here are ten careers that make more (or around the same) money than a doctor—and some require much less time and education to get started.

10 Air Traffic Controller

How hard can it be to direct air traffic? You have a whole added dimension to work with, so preventing mid-air crashes should be simple, right? Well, it’s not those kinds of crashes that air traffic controllers are trying to avoid—it’s the ones on the runways and taxi lanes.

Air traffic controllers are responsible for all the traffic in and out of the busiest places 24/7, city airports. They must keep an organized schedule and itinerary to ensure that flights land safely and commuters leave on time. All that congested traffic must be a massive headache, so it’s no wonder they make the big bucks!

They make around $120K a year, depending on the size of the airport they work for.

9 Lawyer

Lawyers are expected to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the laws they specialize in, so people pay them good money to protect their interests, whether that be from criminal charges or their property and to whom it goes when they pass on.

A common misconception about lawyers is that they’re in court constantly, battling against the other side and cross-examining witnesses. Truth is, neither party wants to drag things out in court, where either side takes a huge risk, so things are usually settled in quiet meeting rooms.

On average, lawyers make $127K a year or more if they specialize in the higher profile stuff. They often need that money to pay off their law school debt.

8 Judge

It makes sense that judges would make more than lawyers; although the profession requires much of the same skill set, it expects more responsibility from the appointed authority. To start, there’s a limited number of judge positions to fill, making the job prestigious.

Plus, what could be better than getting paid to judge people, have them stand whenever you walk into the room, bang a gavel, and wear cool robes all day? Becoming a judge earns an instant badge of respect and admiration and a decent paycheck to boot.

Depending on the district, a judge can earn between $162K to $185K a year. Many judges sit on the bench for decades and can even make their way up into the federal district, earning more money, upwards of $280k!

7 Airline Pilot

The only thing more complicated than directing airport traffic is operating the planes, which have complex and intricate controls that somehow get a hundred-ton aircraft flying through the air like a bird. On top of that, airline pilots are responsible for carrying dozens of lives thirty-thousand feet in the air to get them safely to their destinations. That’s a lot of pressure for one or two pilots, so, amazingly, they can keep their cool while they make announcements over the intercom.

Another benefit is that while the requirements to become a pilot are lofty (get it?), they’re still affordable and reasonable. All it takes is a bachelor’s degree in aviation, 1,500 hours of flight practice, and licenses for bigger and more complex aircraft along your career.

A pilot’s salary ranges from $110K to $200K, depending on the airline.

6 State Governor

Many may not like it, but the politics game is a sure way to get money. Those that run for state governor and get elected have a base salary that, depending on the state, ranges from $92K to $204K per year. Those amounts quadruple across four years.

Then, if they are re-elected, those in the upper range can make more than a million dollars in just eight years. That’s a lot of money, and I haven’t even mentioned contributions given by lobbyists with special interests. And they give them that money to fund their campaigns long before they get elected.

5 Voice Actor

Voice acting literally sounds like the most fun job in the world. They get to sit in a booth and speak in funny or exaggerated ways to bring life to an animated character. However, breaking into the field of voice acting isn’t as easy as you might expect.

The most iconic voice actors have backgrounds in stage acting and take their jobs very seriously. It’s a lot of hard work, too—each line you hear out of a cartoon’s mouth is rarely from the first take, and speaking like that can put a lot of strain on your voice, so the job also requires a lot of warmups and training to maintain vocal health.

Depending on their roles, voice actors can be paid up to $217K annually.

Unfortunately, due to some drama revolving around Hellena Taylor not reprising her role as the iconic Bayonetta for the third game in the series, it may become more difficult for voice actors to get the payment they deserve. Taylor lied about what those at Nintendo and Platinum Games offered her for the role and tried to get fans to boycott the release. The stunt destroyed her credibility (and career!) and the credibility of other voice actors who just wanted fair pay.

4 Large Commercial Farmer

For a very long time, farmers have commonly been associated with poverty. In fact, this connection is where the word “villain” comes from, as it means “low-born rustic.” Somehow, it went from petty insult to label for the eccentric antagonist, but the connotations are far from the truth.

See, one of the earliest signs of civilization is agriculture. As long as there’s been a way to grow food, there’s been a hierarchy of power relating to who grows the most. Those that grow the most food also sell the most food, giving them a lot of control and wealth over the area. Things are more nuanced today, but the biggest farmers still make a ton of money.

The biggest farmers in America make up to $245K a year!

3 Pro Gamer

Everyone enjoys playing video games, but imagine being paid to play them! I’m not even talking about quality assurance or testing games to their breaking point to find and report bugs to the developers. The class of gaming for profit that I’m talking about involves the world of e-sports. There are huge cash prizes for the winners of hugely popular and competitive games of all kinds, from Street Fighter to Call of Duty.

These competitive gamers aren’t just the average young people, either. They dedicate their lives to being the best players in the world, playing on such a high-level skill that the average gamer could never hope to match them.

Recently, the Dallas Fuel (they even have regional teams with cool names, just like traditional sports!) won the 2022 Overwatch League tournament, earning $1.5 million! Split across their starting five, alternate players, and coach, each earned around $166K. And yes, a coach is necessary for this type of e-sport.

The top content creators on Twitch are earning even more than that, playing games for the entertainment of millions on the world’s most popular live-streaming service. Richard “Ninja” Blevins (you might have seen his blue hair) earns $500K a month for playing Fortnite!

2 Astronauts

Most people never need to remember the complicated math equations they learned in pre-calculus, but most people don’t become astronauts. To be an astronaut is to have several careers rolled into one—astronomer, mathematician, physicist, engineer (electrical AND mechanical), and more. On top of all that, they’re also expected to remain in peak fitness and health, so they’re always ready to fulfill their missions and fix any problem that arises.

Outer space is a cold and unrelenting environment, so only the best and brightest minds and bodies can take on its many challenges. To be an astronaut, you must be a nerd AND a jock. That’s why astronauts make $393K a year.

1 Celebrity Bodyguard

Out of all the jobs on this list, this might be the easiest one to prepare for—though it does involve a lot of risks and physical training. Celebrities hire big, tough-looking people to keep them safe from overly zealous fans or whoever else they don’t want in their personal space. And celebrities, being highly paid actors, politicians, or musicians, pay very handsomely to those willing to put themselves in harm’s way to protect them. You have to hand it to celebrities—they may have completely different and lavish lifestyles, but they provide a lot of jobs by merely existing.

Depending on who hires them, a bodyguard’s pay can range from $250K to $800K per year! Talk about high risk, high reward!