Even after you've paid for school and earned your bruises, the freshman wrestler doesn't usually just step onto the stage of a WWE match and leave with a paycheck. As Make Change points out, wrestling isn't a 9-to-5 job with benefits, but rather, a freelance gig that needs to be balanced with a day job (at first). The first shows you book won't pay much, and you'll probably be racking up debt with the constant travel, gas bills, hotel charges, costume repairs, and whatever medical needs arise after your daily dose of elbow jabs and knees to the chest. If you love it, of course, you'll sweat it out ... but yeah, you better love it.

Now, once you've factored in the mental, physical, and financial costs? Add in time, according to Studenomics. First off, you've got to spend hours at the gym bulking up. Then you'll need to spend more hours self-promoting. Of course, there's no assurance that all this hard work is ever going to get you past the low-paying independent circuit, which Cracked says might earn you $50 on a good night, depending on your location and popularity.

Obviously, that's not anywhere close to the earnings made by the WWE's John Cena, who pulls down millions between his wrestling and other projects. So sure, if you make it to the big leagues, you'll earn a ton, but you'll have to work hard (with no guarantees) to get there.

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