20 U.S. Jobs That Require Strong Visual Abilities

by Jacob Brown

Monday, April 20, 2015

People with great eyesight are said to have strong visual abilities. Visual abilities have been described as that group of abilities related to visual sensory input and consists of the following:

Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Night Vision: The ability to see under low light conditions.
Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of glare or bright lighting.

The following are jobs that are suited for people with strong visual abilities.

Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing, multi-engine aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, National, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include attentiveness, auditory and speech, control movement, idea generation and reasoning, perceptual, reaction time and speed, spatial and verbal abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $103,210 Minimum Educational Requirement: High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

Commercial pilots
Commercial pilots pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, National, and international airline pilots. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include control movement, idea generation and reasoning and verbal abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $67,500 Minimum Educational Requirement: High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). They may also be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include control movement abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $37,770 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Sailors and marine oilers
Sailors and marine oilers stand watch to look for obstructions in path of vessel, measure water depth, turn wheel on bridge, or use emergency equipment as directed by captain, mate, or pilot. Break out, rig, overhaul, and store cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, and running gear. Perform a variety of maintenance tasks to preserve the painted surface of the ship and to maintain line and ship equipment. Must hold government-issued certification and tankerman certification when working aboard liquid-carrying vessels. Includes able seamen and ordinary seamen. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $36,260 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators operate or tend machinery equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets, to excavate and load loose materials. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include auditory and speech, control movement, fine manipulative and reaction time and speed abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $36,920 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Motorboat operators
Motorboat operators operate small motor-driven boats. They may also assist in navigational activities. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include control movement abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $38,510 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Bus drivers, transit and intercity
Bus drivers, transit and intercity drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. They may also assist passengers with baggage. They may also collect fares or tickets. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $35,520 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Railroad conductors and yardmasters
Railroad conductors and yardmasters coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location. Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight trains. Yardmasters review train schedules and switching orders and coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains and yard switching. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include auditory and speech and verbal abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $49,770 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. They may also perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures. Includes seismograph shooters. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include fine manipulative abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $43,730 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Surveyors
Surveyors make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include quantitative and verbal abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $54,880 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Camera operators, television, video, and motion picture
Camera operators, television, video, and motion picture operate television, video, or motion picture camera to record images or scenes for various purposes, such as TV broadcasts, advertising, video production, or motion pictures. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $40,390 Minimum Educational Requirement: High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products including, glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $29,710 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Forensic science technicians
Forensic science technicians collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to criminal investigations. Perform tests on weapons or substances, such as fiber, hair, and tissue to determine significance to investigation. They may also testify as expert witnesses on evidence or crime laboratory techniques. They may also serve as specialists in area of expertise, such as ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, or biochemistry. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include idea generation and reasoning, perceptual and verbal abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $51,570 Minimum Educational Requirement: High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

Upholsterers
Upholsterers make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include fine manipulative abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $29,960 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Air traffic controllers
Air traffic controllers control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include attentiveness, auditory and speech, idea generation and reasoning, perceptual, spatial and verbal abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $108,040 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Desktop publishers
Desktop publishers format typescript and graphic elements using computer software to produce publication-ready material. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include spatial abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $36,610 Minimum Educational Requirement: High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

Painters, transportation equipment
Painters, transportation equipment operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Includes painters in auto body repair facilities. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $39,040 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Electro-mechanical technicians
Electro-mechanical technicians operate, test, maintain, or calibrate unmanned, automated, servo-mechanical, or electromechanical equipment. They may also operate unmanned submarines, aircraft, or other equipment at worksites, such as oil rigs, deep ocean exploration, or hazardous waste removal. They may also assist engineers in testing and designing robotics equipment. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $49,550 Minimum Educational Requirement: High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

Machinists
Machinists set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. They may also also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include control movement abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $38,520 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma

Locksmiths and safe repairers
Locksmiths and safe repairers repair and open locks; make keys; change locks and safe combinations; and install and repair safes. Other abilities that strongly feature for this occupation include abilities.
Median Annual Salary: $35,550 Minimum Educational Requirement: Less than a High School Diploma