The most dangerous jobs in America

You can probably guess what the least dangerous jobs in America are.

Accountants, mathematicians and web developers have little to worry about — beyond carpal tunnel syndrome and bad office snacks — when it comes to workplace safety, according to a recent analysis by jobs website CareerCast.

The people who do put themselves at risk every time they go to work might surprise you. Sure, first responders to disasters are on the list, but so are a few white-collar jobs.

CareerCast created its list by analyzing the safety data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and trade organizations.

Disability insurance can ease the financial damage of workplace hazards. One in four of 20-year-olds will become disabled before reaching age 67, according to the Social Security Administration. While 90 percent of workers have coverage for long-term disability, only 40 percent have insurance for short-term disability.

Here is a list of the 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S., in alphabetical order, with their 2015 average pay and 10-year growth outlook.

— By CNBC's Tom Anderson
Posted 12 Aug. 2016

The unpredictability of conditions on job sites puts construction workers at risk constantly. It's why they have the highest injury and fatality rate on the job, according to data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2015 average pay: $30,890

10-year growth outlook: 13 percent (Faster than the average job)

Correctional officers have one of the highest rates of injuries — often the result of confrontations with jail and prison inmates — among jobs tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2015 median pay: $40,580

10-year growth outlook: 4 percent (Slower than the average job)

Emergency medical technicians rushing to accident scenes often get injured themselves. More than 20,000 workplace injuries are sustained by EMTs each year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2015 average pay: $31,980

10-year growth outlook: 24 percent (Faster than the average job)

Farmers work with heavy equipment and, sometimes, large livestock. That creates an environment prone to injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 165 agricultural workers lose time on the job due to injuries or illness sustained in the workplace every day.

2015 average pay: $64,170

10-year growth outlook: -2 percent (Slower than the average job)

Obviously, fighting fires is dangerous work. Forty-nine firefighters have died on the job so far this year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

2015 average pay: $46,870

10-year growth outlook: 5 percent (As fast as the average job)

Nursing ranks as the second-most physically hazardous industry after construction, with an incident rate of more than 12 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2015 average pay: $25,710

10-year growth outlook: 17 percent (Faster than the average job)

Protecting and serving can come at a high cost to police officers. Last year, 123 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, according to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

2015 average pay: $60,270

10-year growth outlook: 4 percent (Slower than the average job)

Taxi drivers are more 20 times more likely to be murdered on the job than other workers, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

2015 average pay: $23,510

10-year growth outlook: 13 percent (Faster than the average job)

Truck drivers travel dangerous roads every day. About one in 10 highway deaths involve a crash with a large truck, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

2015 average pay: $40,260

10-year growth outlook: 5 percent (As fast as the average job)

Working with animals may sound fun to some people, but veterinarians need tough skin.Veterinary services ranked 15th in incidence rates for nonfatal, occupational injuries and illnesses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2015 average pay: $88,490

10-year growth outlook: 9 percent (Faster than the average job)