29 High Paying Low Stress Jobs: No Cramps, No Kidding

No one, ever, falls short of naming the jobs that pay less, and entail acute stress. But, ‘high-paying low-stress jobs,’ nothing sounds better than this. A job where you can go home without an anxious mind every evening, have a sound sleep every night, and wake to smile every morning. Not just that, sufficient money is credited to your bank account, and you live a swanky life.

Wow!!!

Wait what?

High paying jobs that involve low-stress?

Where are these jobs?

Why didn’t anyone tell me about these jobs while I was choosing my career?

These questions would pop in anyone’s head who hears this topic for the first time. This idea of having a job that pays more but doesn’t involve much stress seems impractical. But, there are certain jobs that pay sky-high salaries but are low in stress as compared to highly stressful jobs like army, journalism, acting etc.

On scouring the web to find out more about these jobs, with the thought that I would hardly find five such jobs, I found 29.

So, here is our list of 29 jobs that pay high but are low in stress. These jobs have been picked by analyzing the portals like Business Insider, Career cast, and Monster.com.

1. Actuary
2. Technical Writer
3. Audiologist
4. Mathematician
5. Orthodontist
6. Geographers
7. Dietician
8. Hair Stylist
9. University Professor
10. Medical Record Technicians
11. Jewelers
12. Medical Laboratory Technician
13. Librarian
14. Optometrist
15. Material Scientists
16. Economists
17. Statisticians
18. Agricultural Engineers
19. Political Scientists
20. Physicists
21. Application Software Developers
22. Hydrologists
23. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
24. Information Security Analysts
25. Reservoir Engineer
26. Law Teacher
27. Data Scientist
28. Patent Attorney
29. Food Scientist

Given below are the details pertaining these jobs:

• Actuary

Median Salary: $ 107,740

Actuaries top the list, not only alphabetically but also otherwise. It is, undoubtedly, one of the highest paid professions in the world. No wonder, you’ll find it on nearly every article that talks about the highest paying jobs. And, interestingly, it is also one of the low-stress jobs.

Actuaries are the professionals that study the Mathematics of insurance. They find job opportunities in insurance companies, consultancies, KPOs, BPOs, pension companies, etc. However, a major percentage of them works with insurance companies. Owing to the highly fluctuating economic conditions, there is a huge demand for Actuaries all around the world.

Job Growth 2014-24: 18%

Stress Tolerance: 63.8/100

Source: Payscale.com

All about the profession of Actuaries.

• Technical Writer

Median Salary: $ 50000-$80000 (depending on the area of specialization)

Yes, they are writers, but technical writers. These writers have a fine blend of technical knowledge and writing skills. Their job involves simplifying complex technical information into simple user-friendly language. They create journal articles, operation manuals, project plans, test plans, etc.

They find job opportunities in IT companies, electronics manufacturing companies, pharmacies, etc. In general, they make double the salary of a copywriter. Their technical knowledge provides them an edge over other writers.

Job Growth (2014-24): 10%

• Audiologist

Median Salary: $64,348

An audiologist evaluates a patient’s hearing abilities, diagnoses ailments, if any, and treats the disorders. They usually deal with older people, as hearing disorders are more common among elderly. They work in hospitals, physicians clinics, and can also set up their own clinics.

However, most of them prefer establishing their own clinic to working under others. Apart from treating hearing ailments, they also treat other associated or related ear problems. Audiologists set their own work schedule and they hardly need to deal with any emergency cases.

Job Growth (2014-24): 29%

• Mathematician

Median Salary: $ 103,310

Though for me the word Mathematics has always been synonymous with stress, surprisingly, the job of a mathematician has managed to grab a position among the high paying low stress jobs. Mathematicians research about existing Maths principles, and develop new Maths principles with the help of technology to solve real life problems.

They work in close coordination with engineers and scientists. Their job involves extensive research related to Science and Engineering.

Job Growth (2014-24): 21%

• Orthodontist

Median salary: $ 196,270

Orthodontists are the professionals behind the flawless smiles of many celebrities. These are the dentists that specialize in straightening out of shape teeth and jaws. They not only augment the beauty of a patient’s face but also treat the patients having problems like overcrowding, anteroposterior deviations, or any other severe issues due to misalignment of teeth and jaw. Correcting their patients’ smile and seeing them smile impeccably is what banishes all the stress from an orthodontist’s job.

Job Growth (2012-22): 16%

• Geographers

Median Salary: $ 58,806

It is a common belief that the job of geographers is limited to making and studying maps. But, cartography (the art of making maps) is only a subfield in geography. Geography is quite extensive and geographers study about not only the land and environment but also the human society. They often need to travel to foreign locations to study a particular area. However, the travel that geographers make isn’t fancy and luxurious, at times, they are required to travel to remote areas with extreme climates.

Job Growth (2014-24): -2%

• Dietician

Median Salary: $ 49684

In simple words, dieticians are the professionals who counsel and advise people on their dietary habits. They customize diet plans based on each patient’s/client’s body type and health condition. From someone who is trying to put on or shed some calories to an athlete who wishes to improve his stamina with the help of a healthy diet, dieticians help anybody and everybody who needs guidance on nutritional matters.

They can work with hospitals, can have their own clinics or both. In today’s time, when even the common people are increasingly becoming health conscious, this profession is likely to grow by leaps and bounds. Dieticians often work with celebrities from different fields like sports, film industry, and, T.V. industry.

Job Growth: 16%

• Hair Stylist

Median Salary: $ 25,488

Who is behind the amazing hairstyles and lustrous hair of celebrities? A hairstylist. Hairstylists are the professionals that style hair. However, not every hairstylist works with celebrities. Generally, they work with salons or have their own parlours. They are responsible for hair-cuts, curling, straightening, etc. and also for hair treatments like hair-spa, and hair coloring. At the earlier stage of their career, hair stylists work with other salons or hair care organizations. At the later stages, nearly all prefer setting up their own clinic.

Job Growth (2014-24): 10%

• University Professor

Median Salary: $ 89,005

University professors are teachers having specialization in particular subjects.  They are well aware of the details of their subject. Apart from delivering lectures, they are involved in designing curriculum and planning examination papers.

They conduct research, and stay updated of the ongoing developments in their field. They can teach any subject from academic to professional according to their specializations. Students often look up to them while making their career related decisions, so university professors also serve as counselors to their pupil.

Job Growth (2012-22): 19%

• Medical Record Technicians

Median Salary: $ 34,710

Medical record technician, as the name suggests, transcribe and maintain medical records. They make a record of a patient’s medical history for the reference of the physician they are working with. They are supposed to have at least basic medical knowledge.

Besides, as now all of the work is done on computers, they are also required to have sound technical knowledge. This is one of those few jobs in the healthcare industry that doesn’t require dealing with the patients. However, that doesn’t impact the fact that Medical Record Technicians are a crucial part of the industry.

Job Growth (2014-24): 15%

• Jewelers

Median Salary: $ 40,309

One of the traditional professions, the profession of a jeweler is among the highest earning professions in the world. Jewelers make adornments according to their clients requirements. They make bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and what not. Sometimes they even trade the jewellery made by other jewellers.

Also, they repair jewellery for their clients. However, traditionally this profession did not require one to have any sort of degree or technical knowledge. But, now, with the advancement in technology this profession requires you to have specific qualifications along with sound technical knowledge.

Job Growth (2012-22): -10%

• Medical Laboratory Technician

Median Salary: $ 37,618

In general, a medical laboratory technician’s job involves setting up, cleaning, and maintaining laboratory equipments, diagnosing diseases like cancer, diabetes, AIDS, T.B., etc. Also, lab technicians assist physicians in testing tissue, blood, and urine. They mainly work in Hospitals, Clinics, Research, and Teaching. Also, they can find job opportunities in schools and medical colleges or institutes. This profession is often opted by students from medical field.

Job Growth (2012-22): 22%

• Librarian

Median Salary: $ 48,117

The job of a librarian might seem monotonous to some. But, it is one of the most interesting jobs for someone who has a love for books. The main job of a librarian is to keep record of and manage the books in the library. However, a librarian often gets to interact with the students or other people visiting the library.

He guides them in their research work and in finding the relevant books. As many of the records now are maintained in computers, a modern librarian is supposed to be acquainted with latest technology. With absolutely zero emergencies and deadlines, the job of a librarian is certainly low stressed.

Job Growth (2012-22): 7%

• Optometrist

Median Salary: $ 111,640

An optometrist is the specialist that takes care of a patient’s primary vision issues. They prescribe spectacles and contact lenses according to his/her patient’s requirements. Optometrists are not doctors. Though they can prescribe medicines in certain cases, they cannot perform severe eye surgeries. Most of the optometrists work from their own clinics. However, they can also work with hospitals, or other healthcare organizations.

Job Growth (2014-24): 27%

• Material Scientists

Median Salary: $ 82,660

Material scientists like other scientists perform experiments and tests in the laboratories. They may specialization in areas like composites, ceramics, polymers, metals, biomaterials, semiconductors, and nanotechnology. To derive maximum benefits from their research they need to coordinate with other professionals in the organization.

Material scientists basically design and develop the materials like ceramics, polymers, metal, and composites that are needed by other engineers to develop the final product. Owing to the nature of their job, material scientists work in close coordination with engineers and other scientists.

Job Growth (2014-24): 3%

• Economists

Median Salary: $ 101,450

In the simplest words, economists are the experts in economics. Economists conduct surveys and researches, collect and analyze data, interpret and forecast market trends, study how scanty resources like land and labour are being used, and figure out ways to optimally utilize these resources.

Usually, economists see a speedy growth in their career after gaining 5 to 10 years of experience. They deal with top level management to communicate and discuss the issues and required changes.

Job Growth (2014-24): 6%

• Statisticians

 Median Salary: $ 83,310

‘I keep saying that the sexy job in the next 10 years will be statisticians. And I’m not kidding.’– said Hal Varian, Google’s chief economist, in one of his interviews to The New York Times in 2009.

Statisticians are use collected and organized data to understand customer tastes and preferences, to test software, to improve a website’s traffic, and a number of other things. As the field of Statistics is enormous, statisticians are an essence of every business from travel to sports, and from marketing to agriculture. Often perceived to be among the dull and boring jobs by those who are not aware of the working environment, most statisticians find their jobs interesting, engrossing, and satisfying.

Job Growth (2014-24): 34%

• Agricultural Engineers

Median Salary: $ 75,090

Agricultural engineers work for sorting out various agricultural issues such as environment, efficiency of various agricultural equipments, power supply, along with storage of agricultural produce and their processing. They are required to spend a good amount of time outdoors.

Besides agriculture they also take care of aquacultural issues.  They are also engaged in researching and designing various agricultural equipments and vehicles to simplify and expedite the agricultural processes. They help in making agricultural and aquacultural processes efficient and speedy.

Job Growth (2014-24): 4%

• Political Scientists

Median Salary: $ 100,900

Political scientists are fundamentally researchers and analysts that study and analyse the origin, growth, and function of politics along with the trends and government policies. They monitor the elections and depending on the past trends and present scenario, forecast future results.

Apart from the formal information they also analyze opinions  of public and notable personalities. They do all this to draw conclusion or opinion that is based on facts and evidences and not partisan. The opportunity to work with and among the higher government officials, is what makes the job of a political scientist respectable and powerful.

Job Growth (2014-24): -2%

• Physicists

Median Salary: $ 117,040

Physicists are some of the world’s most inquisitive and brilliant minds. They are captivated to unfold the mystery of the universe. Physicists choose this career out of their adoration for Physics and not considering the monetary benefits. Anyone who doesn’t have a passion for this subject rarely survives as a physicist. The curiosity and love for their subject makes their jobs low stressed. They can also be called scientists who research in the field of physics.

Job Growth (2014-24): 7%

• Application Software Developers

Median Salary: $ 96,260

The engaging mobile and desktop games and the fascinating mobile apps, who is the mind behind them? Application Software Developers. They are a part of a team of IT professionals, and work with software engineers and analysts, and write programs according to the specifications of the client.

Understanding client requirements and delivering the apt products is their main job. They can work with an IT company or freelance their services to various clients at a time.

Job Growth (2014-24): 17%

• Hydrologists

Median Salary: $ 79550

Even when over 3/4th of the earth’s surface constitutes water, the availability and quality of water varies from location to location. Besides, the constant degradation of water is making the situation worse. Hydrologists analyse and study all these issues and find a key to the problems.

They use their knowledge of Science and Mathematics to sort out the issues. Their job involves both indoor and outdoor tasks. With the increasing prominence of issues like global warming and water pollution, the world is in dire need of hydrologists.

Job Growth (2014-24): 7%

• Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Median Salary: $ 94,040

Stress Tolerance: 67/100

In simple words, marine engineers and naval architects, together, develop water vessels. They take care of every aspect of development from designing and building to maintaining the vessels. From watercraft to a ship, marine engineer and naval architects are responsible for developing all of them. Their workplace depends on the type of project they are working on. Most of them, work in an office. Sometimes they might be required to go to the sea to test their project.

Job Growth (2014-24): 9%

• Information Security Analysts

Median Salary: $ 90,120

Information analysts take care of a company’s information system’s security. They carry out a number of security measures from time to time. They figure out tailored solutions for a particular problem. They work for consultancies, businesses, banks, IT companies or any place where digital information is critical.

With the increasing use of information technology, cyber crime is also thriving rapidly. Businesses cannot afford even a minor issue in their cyber security as this may adversely impact their functioning and reputation.

Job Growth (2014-24): 18%

• Reservoir Engineer

Median Salary: $ 109, 398

Reservoir engineers work with petroleum companies and help them make optimal and effective use of underground fossil fuel reservoirs. They are a critical part of any oil and gas company. They estimate the amount of oil or gas that would be available in a particular reservoir. For this, they work in close association with geologists and geophysicists and also apply the laws of chemistry and physics to figure out solutions. They find out the most economical ways to use the gas or oil.

Job Growth (2014-24): 10%

• Law Teacher

Median Salary: $ 122,280

Law teachers are postsecondary teachers specializing in the field of Law. They possess detailed knowledge in the field of law. They deliver lectures, organize moot court competitions for their students and prepare their students to become professional lawyers. They work with Law university or other universities that offer education in the field of Law.

• Data Scientist

Median Salary: $ 93,146

Data scientists are experts in Statistics. They evaluate data regarding the most significant issues to bring about positive changes in the organization’s performance. They explore data from varied sources and extract the most relevant data to study trends and draw conclusion. They are supposed to be curious, should have good research skills and strong business acumen. Most of the people engaged in the jobs show high job satisfaction.

Source: Payscale.com

• Patent Attorney

Median Salary: $131,744

Patent attorneys are sought by the clients who seek to obtain patent rights for their products. Patent law is a highly specialized branch of Law. Patent attorneys write patent application for their clients and help them through the entire process of obtaining a patent right for their invention. Though this might seem uncomplicated, to become a good patent attorney one needs to go through years of experience. They start their career with working as interns with patent firms.

• Food Scientist

Median Salary: $65340

Stress Tolerance: 55.8/100

Food Scientists use their knowledge of Science to improve and manage the quality of food. The job of a food scientist involves evaluating the color, flavor, texture and nutritional value of food, figuring out the alternate food production methods, keeping a check on the quality and standard of food. They work with food manufacturing and retail companies, government organizations, hotels, and research associations.

Source: Payscale.com

Job Growth (2014-24): 5%

The salary figures and job growth rates have been taken from various portals like Payscale.com and bls.gov (the official website of US Bureau of Labor Statistics).