The 20 Highest Paying Jobs That Don’t Involve Sitting at a Desk

As an airline pilot you’ll be spending much of your time sitting down but it won’t be at a desk. In fact, the view from "the office" will leave others green with envy. Depending on the airline and your experience, you can make as much as around $168,000 a year in Canada, according to the job website Indeed. It’s also one of the most exciting jobs that let you retire early.

Even though an anesthesiologist does spend some time at a desk, the job also involves plenty of time spent in the operating theatre. In Canada, the average pay for anesthesiologists is in the region of $290,000, according to Indeed.

Registered nurses do hands-on work taking care of patients and sometimes being the primary healthcare providers, although there is a little bit of desk work involved too. According to Glassdoor, a registered nurse in Canada can make as much as $76,000 a year. It’s one of the highest paying in-demand jobs in Canada right now.

The only way you’ll be working at a desk if you’re a midwife is if your patient is giving birth at the office. You could be working in a hospital setting but many midwives also travel to patients’ homes. Neuvoo says that the average salary for a midwife in Canada is just over $100,000.

As a surgeon, you’ll be spending most of your time in the operating theatre or visiting patients at their hospital beds. The hours are long but the pay is excellent: from nearly $200,000 for general surgeons to over $300,000 for neurosurgeons, on average, according to PayScale.

As an occupational therapist, you’ll be spending more time giving your patients hands-on treatment than sitting at a desk. According to Glassdoor, an occupational therapist in Canada can make up to $92,000 a year. It’s also one of the careers that will still be in demand after 2020.

If you’re a pharmacist, you’ll be spending most of your time on your feet, interacting with people. Glassdoor says that the average pay for a pharmacist in Canada is just over $100,000.

Neuvoo says that the average pay for a truck driver in Canada is a little over $46,000 a year. However, with overtime you can earn as much as $170,000 a year. It does mean that you’ll have one of the most sleep-deprived jobs but you also get to see the country.

According to Indeed, the average pay for a geologist in Canada is around $86,000. However, working for a mining company can significantly increase your pay, with some geologists earning nearly $200,000 a year. You may even find yourself working in remote locations that can only be reached by helicopter.

Looking for high-paying jobs that don’t require a university degree? The website Water Welders says that an underwater welder with three-to-five years’ experience can make over $100,000 and some even make as much as $300,000, depending on where they work.

Instagram celebs can make good money through sponsorships and advertising. In fact, it’s one of the jobs that could make you a millionaire. The more followers you have, the more money you can make and let’s face it: nobody wants to follow someone’s Instagram posts about their desk job.

The reality is that the vast majority of rockers spend years playing gigs that don’t pay much more than the equivalent of a few beers. However, those who make it big also make big bucks. Before you quit and get a desk job instead, you might want to take inspiration from the world’s richest rock stars.

Like musicians, that majority of actors struggle to make ends meet. Those who manage to catch that big break, however, can make millions per movie or TV show and they get to film in exciting locations.

To become a professional athlete at the top of your game takes dedication and you’ll have to start early. However, just take a look at what the highest paid athletes made in 2017 – and not a desk in sight.

As a construction manager, you’ll be doing some pen-pushing but you’ll also spend a lot of time on site, overseeing the actual construction work. PayScale says that the average salary for a construction manager in Canada is about $87,000 but you can make over $150,000, depending on your experience.

According to Neuvoo, the average pay for an outside sales rep in Canada is around $70,000. Of course, the more you sell, the more you’ll make in commissions, so this is one of the best jobs for extroverts.

Many engineering jobs involve quite a bit of desk work and not many opportunities to get outside. Civil engineers, however, spend much of their time on site, sometimes in remote locations. PayScale says that a senior civil engineer in Canada can make a little over $140,000.

Neuvoo says that the average salary for an archaeologist in Canada is just under $58,000. However, the site also advertises archaeology jobs that pay around $100,000. Even if you don’t get paid that much, though, you’ll still have one of the coolest jobs for people who love to travel.

As a wildlife biologist you’ll probably spend quite a bit of time elbow-deep in muck but at least you won’t have to sit at a desk. It’s one of the best careers for women in science and engineering and Indeed says that the average pay is around $70,000 a year.

The average pay for a meteorologist in Canada is around $58,000 a year but some meteorologists make nearly $100,000, according to PayScale. Yes, you’ll be spending some time at a desk, interpreting data, but you also need to collect that data in the first place, which involves getting out in wind and weather, especially if you're on TV.

For more on Canadian careers, don't miss the 20 jobs in Canada that pay over $200K.