- Low-stress jobs with high pay are in abundance.
- Plenty of jobs pay more than $60,000 a year on average but have lower stress levels, as defined by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Many of these jobs are in science or academia, but some of them require only a high school degree.
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Think there’s no such thing as a high-paying, lower-stress job? Think again. It turns out there are plenty.
To find jobs with that perfect combination of high pay and less stress, we combed through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of jobs and looked at salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Average annual salaries are pulled from May 2018 data.
O*NET rates the “stress tolerance” for each job on a scale from zero to 100, where a lower rating signals less stress. (Note: We are not saying these jobs are “stress-free” – they just tend to rate lower than other professions.)
To rate each job, O*NET looks at how frequently workers must accept criticism and deal effectively with high stress at work.
Here are 43 jobs that pay more than $60,000 a year, on average, and earned a stress tolerance rating of 65 or lower, in order from highest to lowest stress score.
Vivian Giang and Jacquelyn Smith contributed to an earlier version of this article.
Online merchant
Stress tolerance: 65
Average annual salary: $76,960
What they do: Conduct retail activities of businesses operating exclusively online. May perform duties such as preparing business strategies, buying merchandise, managing inventory, implementing marketing activities, fulfilling and shipping online orders, and balancing financial records.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Transportation vehicle, equipment, and systems inspector (except aviation)
Stress tolerance: 65
Average annual salary: $75,330
What they do: Inspect and monitor transportation equipment, vehicles, or systems to ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards.
Education requirements: High school diploma.
Postsecondary area, ethnic, and cultural studies teacher
Stress tolerance: 65
Average annual salary: $85,450
What they do: Teach courses pertaining to the culture and development of an area, an ethnic group, or any other group, such as Latin American studies, women's studies, or urban affairs.
Education requirements: A doctoral degree with post-doctoral training.
Document management specialist
Stress tolerance: 65
Average annual salary: $93,350
What they do: Implement and administer enterprise-wide document management systems and related procedures that allow organizations to capture, store, retrieve, share, and destroy electronic records and documents.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree, though some only require an associate's degree or a post-secondary certificate.
Photonics engineer
Stress tolerance: 65
Average annual salary: $99,410
What they do: Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree, though some positions require a master's or doctoral degree.
Geospatial information scientist and technologist
Stress tolerance: 65
Average annual salary: $93,350
What they do: Research or develop geospatial technologies. Produce databases, perform applications programming, or coordinate projects.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree, and some require a master's degree.
Nanotechnology engineering technician
Stress tolerance: 64
Average annual salary: $65,720
What they do: Operate commercial-scale production equipment to produce, test, or modify materials, devices, or systems of molecular or macromolecular composition.
Education requirements: Associate's or bachelor's degree.
Industrial ecologist
Stress tolerance: 64
Average annual salary: $77,580
What they do: Apply principles and processes of natural ecosystems to develop models for efficient industrial systems. Use knowledge from the physical and social sciences to maximize effective use of natural resources in the production and use of goods and services.
Education requirements: At least a master's degree, though some require a doctoral degree or only a bachelor's.
Epidemiologist
Stress tolerance: 64
Average annual salary: $75,690
What they do: Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
Education requirements: At least a master's degree, though some require a doctoral degree or only a bachelor's.
Brownfield redevelopment specialist and site manager
Stress tolerance: 64
Average annual salary: $115,590
What they do: Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Biomedical engineer
Stress tolerance: 63
Average annual salary: $95,090
What they do: Analyze and design solutions to problems in biology and medicine, with the goal of improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care.
Education requirements: Typically need a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from an accredited program. Alternatively, they can get a bachelor's in a different field of engineering and then either get a graduate degree in biomedical engineering or complete on-the-job training in biomedical engineering.
Postsecondary law teacher
Stress tolerance: 63
Average annual salary: $130,710
What they do: Teach courses in law.
Education requirements: Bachelor's and law degrees.
Geoscientist (except hydrologists and geographers)
Stress tolerance: 63
Average annual salary: $107,800
What they do: Study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree, and in several states geoscientists may need a license.
Molecular and cellular biologist
Stress tolerance: 62
Average annual salary: $83,600
What they do: Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.
Education requirements: Doctoral degree, though some employers accept just a bachelor's degree.
Postsecondary economics teacher
Stress tolerance: 62
Average annual salary: $98,350
What they do: Teach courses in economics. Includes teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Education requirements: Typically need a Ph.D. to teach at the college level, but a master's degree may be enough.
Astronomer
Stress tolerance: 62
Average annual salary: $111,090
What they do: Observe, research, and analyze astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge or apply such information to practical problems.
Education requirements: Ph.D. for most research jobs.
Operations research analyst
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $88,350
What they do: Use advanced mathematical and analytical methods to help organizations investigate complex issues, identify and solve problems, and make better decisions.
Education requirements: Many entry-level positions are available for those with a bachelor's degree, but some employers prefer to hire applicants with a master's degree or Ph.D.
Human factors engineer and ergonomist
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $91,630
What they do: Design objects, facilities, and environments to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. Investigate and analyze characteristics of human behavior and performance as it relates to the use of technology.
Education requirements: Master's degree.
Materials engineer
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $96,930
What they do: Evaluate and develop materials, machinery, and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree in materials science or engineering, or a related field.
Solar energy systems engineer
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $99,410
What they do: Perform site-specific engineering analysis of energy efficiency and solar projects. Design solar hot water and space heating systems for new and existing structures.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Applications software developer
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $108,080
What they do: Develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree and strong computer programming skills.
Chemical engineer
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $114,470
What they do: Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products like gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Political scientist
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $115,110
What they do: Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree, followed by master's or Ph.D. in political science, public administration, or a related field.
Physicist
Stress tolerance: 61
Average annual salary: $125,280
What they do: Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
Education requirements: Ph.D. for most research jobs.
Transportation equipment electrical and electronics installer and repairer
Stress tolerance: 60
Average annual salary: $61,460
What they do: Install, adjust, or maintain mobile electronics communication equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance systems on transportation equipment.
Education requirements: High school diploma with post-secondary certificate.
Sustainability specialist
Stress tolerance: 60
Average annual salary: $76,960
What they do: Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Geodetic surveyor
Stress tolerance: 60
Average annual salary: $66,440
What they do: Measure large areas of the Earth's surface using satellite observations, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), light detection and ranging (LIDAR), or related sources.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Farm and ranch manager
Stress tolerance: 59
Average annual salary: $79,940
What they do: Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of agricultural establishments.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Geographer
Stress tolerance: 59
Average annual salary: $80,530
What they do: Study the nature and use of areas of Earth's surface, conduct research on physical aspects of a region, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area.
Education requirements: Master's degree for most positions; some entry-level jobs in the federal government require only a bachelor's.
Statistician
Stress tolerance: 59
Average annual salary: $92,600
What they do: Use statistical methods to collect and analyze data and help solve real-world problems in business, engineering, the sciences, or other fields.
Education requirements: Typically need a graduate degree.
Geographic information systems technician
Stress tolerance: 59
Average annual salary: $93,350
What they do: Assist scientists, technologists, or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using geographic information systems (GIS) databases.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Economist
Stress tolerance: 59
Average annual salary: $116,020
What they do: Economists study the production and distribution of resources, goods, and services.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Industrial engineering technologist
Stress tolerance: 58
Average annual salary: $65,720
What they do: Assist industrial engineers in such activities as quality control, inventory control, or material flow methods. May conduct statistical studies or analyze production costs.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Nanotechnology engineering technologist
Stress tolerance: 58
Average annual salary: $65,720
What they do: Implement production processes for nanoscale designs to produce or modify materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree, and some employers may require a master's or doctoral degree.
Bioinformatics scientist
Stress tolerance: 58
Average annual salary: $83,600
What they do: Implement production processes for nanoscale designs to produce or modify materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree, and some employers may require a master's or doctoral degree.
Mathematician
Stress tolerance: 57
Average annual salary: $104,870
What they do: Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields; solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.
Education requirements: Bachelor's or master's degree for those who want to work in government, and a doctorate may be required to work for private companies.
Food scientist and technologist
Stress tolerance: 56
Average annual salary: $72,570
What they do: Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods. Analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein. Research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Environmental restoration planner
Stress tolerance: 53
Average annual salary: $77,580
What they do: Collaborate with field and biology staff to oversee the implementation of restoration projects and to develop new products. Process and synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies for restoration, monitoring or management.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree, and some employers may require a master's degree.
Materials scientist
Stress tolerance: 53
Average annual salary: $102,450
What they do: Research and study substances at the atomic and molecular levels and the ways in which substances react with one another, use knowledge to develop new and improved products.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree; a master's degree or Ph.D. is needed for many research jobs.
Cartographers and photogrammetrists
Stress tolerance: 52
Average annual salary: $68,340
What they do: Collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data. Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes.
Education requirements: Bachelor's degree.
Remote sensing scientists and technologists
Stress tolerance: 52
Average annual salary: $110,090
What they do: Apply remote sensing principles and methods to analyze data and solve problems in areas such as natural resource management, urban planning, or homeland security. May develop new sensor systems, analytical techniques, or new applications for existing systems.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree, and some employers may require a master's or doctoral degree.
Fuel cell engineer
Stress tolerance: 50
Average annual salary: $92,800
What they do: Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
Education requirements: At least a bachelor's degree; a master's degree or Ph.D. is needed for some jobs in this field.
Boilermaker
Stress tolerance: 48
Average annual salary: $63,240
What they do: Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries.
Education requirements: Vocational school.
