12 jobs that pay less than you'd expect

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Sometimes, despite the importance of the role or the average salary within an industry, the pay for certain jobs just doesn't meet expectations.

Take childcare workers for example. As advocates for The Fight for $15 point out, research by the University of California, Berkeley's Center for the Study of Child Care Employment shows that childcare workers have experienced no increase in real wages since 1997, even though the cost to parents for early childhood care has nearly doubled since then.

Glassdoor recently put together a list of 11 jobs based on at least 30 salary reports shared by employees on Glassdoor where the salary is completely different from what you might expect.

Based on Glassdoor's list, as well as independent research using the Bureau of Labor Statistic's occupational data, here are 12 jobs that pay less than you'd expect (all salary data came from the BLS):

Childcare workers

Average annual salary: $22,310 

Child care is the biggest budget item for most families, and in a sad twist of ironies, many childcare workers, whom parents trust with their kids' lives for several hours a day, often can't afford child care for their own children. On average, child care workers earn almost 54% less than the average American worker ($48,320).

Paramedic 

Average annual salary: $35,430

Glassdoor's salary insight: If you think working in healthcare will bring in a big payday, that's not the case for every job. Paramedics, who are typically first to respond and treat people when emergencies happen, earn $36,000, substantially less than a physician ($175,929) or registered nurse ($63,070). However, a college degree is not required for this position, though specialized training is to be licensed and certified.

Rehabilitation counselor

Average annual salary: $38,040

These professionals, many of whom have master's degrees or higher, work with people who have physical, mental, developmental, and emotional disabilities to help them become more independent and employable. While extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for the job, they make on average 21% less than the average American worker ($48,320).