According to Forbes, on average, NBA players make $5.15 million, MLB players make $3.2 million, NHL players make $2.4 million, and NFL players make $1.9 million per year. So just how much more do these athletes who play our favorite sports make compared to some of the United States best paying occupations? NFL players on average make the least amount and they will be the basis of comparison to other jobs.

Anesthesiologist VS. Jared Goff

An anesthesiologist is a medical professional who has to go through college and then Medical School in order to give Anesthesia to people undergoing surgery. The profession ranks number one on Forbes highest paid professions, with mean earnings being $235,000 per year.

Jared Goff was the quarterback for the California Golden Bears who went first overall in the 2016 NFL draft to the Los Angeles Rams. He has never played a game of professional football, and he agreed with the Rams on a four-year $27.9 million contract with $18.5 million guaranteed.

Looking at only guaranteed money, Jared Goff, who has never played a game of professional football and who could end up being a terrible player, will be making almost 20 times that of the average Anesthesiologist this year.

Heart Surgeon VS. Mike Pouncey

Heart Surgeons, who help save lives every day, can make up to around $400,000 after ten years of experience in areas where they are highly needed. Mike

Pouncey is the center for the Miami Dolphins. He makes very close to the average salary of an NFL player, earning $2.2 million since 2015. This means that Mr. Pouncey, who is considered a very average player in a not so glamorous position, still earns 5.5 times that of a life-saving surgeon with over ten years of experience in his or her field.

High School Teacher VS. Scott Tolzien

High school teachers, who are given the task of educating our future, averaged $56,310 in 2014, with the top 10% of teachers earning an average of $88,910.

Scott Tolzien is a backup quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He became a pro player in 2011. In his five year career he has played six games, of which he has only started two. He is tied with several other players as having the lowest amount of guaranteed money in the National Football League at $500,000 over two years. Thus, this backup quarterback, who barely averages playing time in one game per year, makes almost three times more money per year than the top 10% of high school teachers.

Police Officer VS. Andrew Luck

Police officers, who have taken oaths and gone through training to protect and serve the general public, averaged $56,810 in 2014, with the highest earning 10% of officers averaging around $92,000. According to Career Trends, the highest paid officers in the highest paid city, San Jose, California, tend to earn close to $100,000.

Andrew Luck very recently signed a five year contract with the Indianapolis Colts worth $122,970,000 with $87,000,000 guaranteed, making him the highest paid NFL player in terms of guaranteed money. Therefore, not counting any sponsorship deals Mr. Luck has made, he still earns 870 times more than officers in the highest paid city in America.