Just because a job seems glamorous, requires a lot of education, is stressful or dangerous, it doesn't mean that you'll necessarily be earning the big bucks by pursing a career in one of these fields. Some jobs seem like they should pay a lot more than they actually do. If you're the type to be more motivated by the paycheck than by the work itself, these are a few career choices that you might want to steer clear of.

Emergency Medical Technician
You trust these professionals with your life. They're the people who step in to help those who are sick, injured or in danger, at times even placing themselves in precarious situations in the process. However, you might be surprised to learn that emergency medical technicians (or EMTs) aren't earning the big bucks. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the average income for this occupation is only about $27,000 per year. Considering that this position requires workers to obtain post-secondary education, be on call, work shift work and deal with a huge amount of stress, this wage seems incredibly low.

Event Coordinator
Planning a big event takes a lot of work. Event coordinators take the stress out of event planning for others, thereby taking on all the stresses of organizing vendors, dealing with the hiccups, and ensuring that guests enjoy the event. Ensuring that every wedding, party or conference runs smoothly takes a lot of skill on the part of event planners or coordinators. They need to be organized, professional and able to juggle multiple tasks all at once. How much does this stressful position pay? Only about $36,000 per year.

Probation Officer
Dealing with those who are on probation or parole may not seem like a particularly glamorous position, but there's no doubt it's a stressful one. This job can be particularly rewarding, especially in the fact that you're helping to keep reformed criminals engaged and on track by helping to support their rehabilitation, assisting them with finding jobs and homes once they're released. On the other side of the coin, people in this field also have to deal with a great deal of disappointment and stress, since many former cons have a tendency to reoffend. CNN Money reports that this challenging job comes with an annual salary of about $38,400.

Family Therapist
Seeing how important family wellness is, it's surprising to find that those who are responsible for ensuring our family relationships function properly are only be paid about $45,000 per year. Therapists typically require quite a bit of education in order to practice, so this position comes with a fairly low rate of pay considering that some therapists might be repaying student loans. Therapists also have a tendency to experience burnout, since they are often responsible for seeing a number of clients each day, while helping these families to sort through some of the most stressful of situations.