Most Dangerous Jobs in America
33 occupations with published occupation-specific workplace fatality and injury rates (BLS 2023). See our methodology for source and scoring details.
Fallers ranks first in this occupation-measured danger-index cohort.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics CFOI and SOII releases used by WageDex, The ranking compares 33 occupations with a published occupation-specific BLS fatality and injury rate. WageDex combines those rates in a documented danger index, while excluding broad SOC-group averages from the superlative list. It compares reported occupational rates; it does not predict the safety of a particular employer, location, or job offer.
These are the highest danger-index occupations among the 33 detailed roles for which BLS publishes an occupation-specific rate. The index combines BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries fatality rates (60% weight) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses injury rates (40% weight). The other tracked occupations inherit only a broad SOC-group rate and are excluded from this superlative ranking. For comparison, the median danger index within this same occupation-measured cohort is 21.0. The #1 occupation employs a relatively small workforce nationally (3,130 workers), so its rate reflects fewer total incidents than a larger occupation would need to reach the same rate.
| # | Grade | Occupation | Fatality Rate | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Fallers Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 111.7/100K | $52,100 |
| 2 | C | Roofers Construction and Extraction Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 59/100K | $55,440 |
| 3 | C | Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 33/100K | $49,690 |
| 4 | C | Commercial Pilots Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 69/100K | $123,220 |
| 5 | C | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 25/100K | $58,640 |
| 6 | C | Nursing Assistants Healthcare Support Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 0.5/100K | $42,260 |
| 7 | C | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 16/100K | $40,240 |
| 8 | C | Construction Laborers Construction and Extraction Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 18/100K | $47,120 |
| 9 | C | Structural Iron and Steel Workers Construction and Extraction Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 25/100K | $62,780 |
| 10 | C | Correctional Officers and Jailers Protective Service Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 8/100K | $58,940 |
| 11 | C | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Protective Service Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 7.5/100K | $76,210 |
| 12 | B | Carpenters Construction and Extraction Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 16.5/100K | $60,580 |
| 13 | B | Firefighters Protective Service Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 5.5/100K | $59,280 |
| 14 | B | Electricians Construction and Extraction Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 13/100K | $63,190 |
| 15 | B | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 19/100K | $95,320 |
| 16 | B | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 15/100K | $39,150 |
| 17 | B | Taxi Drivers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 18/100K | $42,100 |
| 18 | B | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Construction and Extraction Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 12.5/100K | $63,800 |
| 19 | B | Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Management Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 24/100K | $89,900 |
| 20 | B | Driver/Sales Workers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 10/100K | $38,770 |
| 21 | B | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 14/100K | $49,590 |
| 22 | B | Light Truck Drivers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 12/100K | $44,860 |
| 23 | B | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 11/100K | $35,660 |
| 24 | B | Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 6/100K | $50,620 |
| 25 | B | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 5/100K | $36,840 |
| 26 | B | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Production Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 4/100K | $53,750 |
| 27 | B | Cooks, Restaurant Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 1/100K | $37,390 |
| 28 | B | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Production Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 3.5/100K | $48,570 |
| 29 | A | Lawyers Legal Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 0.1/100K | $159,670 |
| 30 | A | Software Developers Computer and Mathematical Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 0.1/100K | $135,980 |
| 31 | A | Computer Network Architects Computer and Mathematical Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 0.1/100K | $134,050 |
| 32 | A | Computer Systems Analysts Computer and Mathematical Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 0.1/100K | $105,850 |
| 33 | A | Accountants and Auditors Business and Financial Operations Occupations · occupation-specific rate | 0.1/100K | $83,680 |
Understanding the Data
Fatality rate measures deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers per year. A rate of 25.0 means roughly 25 out of every 100,000 full-time workers in that occupation die from work-related incidents annually.
Injury rate measures nonfatal injuries and illnesses per 100 FTE workers per year. A rate of 5.0 means 5 out of every 100 workers experience a recordable workplace injury or illness.
Only occupation-specific BLS rates are eligible for this ranking. SOC major-group rates remain useful as broad context, but WageDex does not assign their shared value to individual occupations on a superlative list.