Music, Technology, Art, Economy

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 1.4 million child care workers, and is it an occupation in high demand. The BLS says child care workers must be “mature, patient, understanding, and articulate and have energy and physical stamina.” In exchange, the median national salary is $17,630. (At Gap, the average worker makes about $22,000.)

The advocacy group Center for the Child Care Workforce points out that only a handful of the more than 800 occupations surveyed by the BLS have lower wages—these include parking lot attendants and dishwashers.