Salary

Average Salary: $35,000

Expected Lifetime Earnings: $1,461,180


Fish hatcheries tend to swim under the radar where salary stats are concerned, so hooking a number is slippery business. In general, newly hired "hatchlings" can expect an annual catch of around $30k (source). The big fish in the pond haul in around $70,110 as managers (source).

Fish hatchery positions sometimes offer salary steps as bait for those who have been going with the flow for a year or two. This can scale your paycheck up an extra $100 or so per month, depending on the state or company (source). If you're still hungry for "swimprovement," you might find a perch as Assistant Fish Hatchery Manager...or even be lured into a top supervisory gig. It helps if you don't mind migrating to new territory with better bait.

And if all else fails, you can always pay people in caviar. (Source)