Miner. Salary: $25,000 or less 

Heading down the shaft on the mechanical lift, you and the other workers are jolted awake by a shudder in the platform. After a moment of hesitation, the lift resumes its descent and no one seems to care. No one except you, that is. Someone should probably do something about that, right?

State Safety Inspector. Salary: $35,000 

An accident at a local mine has you rushing to the scene. When you get there, however, you find no one from the mine to greet you. Looking around, you see that the federal inspector is already on location conducting the investigation. That means you'll be sitting on the sidelines, cheering them on. Again.

Federal Inspector. GS-7 Salary: $45,000 

While deep inside a mountain, you find a very small drip. You follow the source of the drip to a wall, which is drizzling drops. You use your equipment to find out what's behind the wall, and you realize the entire tunnel behind has been filled with toxic waste water. You start backing away. Very. Carefully.

Federal Inspector. GS-9 Salary: $60,000 

Walking through the doors of the MSHA headquarters in Washington, D.C., you marvel at the incredible amount of hustle going on around the office. You ask a stationary security guard if everyone here usually works this hard. "No," he replies, "it's 'Pizza Friday.'"

Federal Inspector. GS-11 Salary: $70,000+ 

At the close of the meeting, you take a minute to thank everyone in the room for their hard work in detailing this year's mine safety initiative. "Thanks to all your hard work," you say, "lives will be changed for the better." Everyone claps. That feels nice.