Many factors contribute to a person’s level of effort in the workplace. For some, the size of their paycheck is a motivator. For others, it’s about doing an excellent job in their role.
And for more than a third, 35% of workers, stress or burnout significantly affects their ability to perform, according to a Q3 Joblist survey of 18,911 job seekers. Ideally, your job isn’t so stressful that doing various tasks becomes challenging. And within the workforce, multiple appointments are inherently less stressful than others.
O*NET, which is part of the Labor Department, put together a list of almost 900 jobs and ranked them by how stressful they are.They did this by noting the importance of accepting criticism and dealing calmly with high-stress situations in each job.
Here are ten jobs on the list that pay a median annual salary of more than $100,000 and have a relatively low level of stress tolerance (all have a group of less than 70 out of 100), along with their median annual salaries and requirements to be considered.
It’s important to remember that “these are not stress-free jobs,” says Sinem Buber, lead economist at ZipRecruiter. “These are less stressful jobs compared to jobs like physicians, where they’re dealing with human life.”
Materials scientist
Material scientists study and research ways to combine and strengthen and experiment with materials such as metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, and glass. Most of these positions require a graduate school degree, such as a master’s degree or a PhD, and extensive experience on the job. Median annual salary: $100,090
Business intelligence analyst
These analysts take note of business, financial, and economic data, create reports for executives and stakeholders, and recommend relevant action to be taken on behalf of the business. Most of these positions require a bachelor’s degree and some experience. Median annual salary: $100,910
Remote sensing scientists or technologists
These scientists analyze data gathered by aircraft or satellites, for example, to solve problems in fields such as urban planning, homeland security, and natural resource management. Most positions require graduate school, including a relevant master’s degree, PhD, or M.D., and experience on the job. Median annual salary: $104,100
Economics professor
Economics professors teach graduate or undergraduate students topics such as price theory and microeconomics. They prepare course material, give lectures, and grade homework assignments. Many of these positions require a graduate degree and experience to be considered. Median annual salary: $104,940
Chemical engineer
Chemical engineers design chemical plant equipment and the processes used to create products such as gas, plastic, and cement, including procedures to keep people working near chemical reactions safe. This position often requires a bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience. Median annual salary: $105,550
Environmental economist
These economists research topics such as alternative fuel use, write academic articles about economic forecasts, and assess the costs and benefits of policies and regulations affecting the environment. Most of these positions require a relevant master’s degree, PhD, or law degree, and work experience. Median annual salary: $105,630
Mathematician
Mathematicians use mathematical theories to solve problems in business, engineering, and the sciences. They also do research in algebra, geometry, probability, and other areas and write reports about what they find.This position often requires a relevant master’s degree (Ph.D. or M.D.) and relevant work experience. Median annual salary: $108,100
Brownfield redevelopment specialist and site manager
These specialists plan and oversee the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated land. They identify the sources of contamination and coordinate on-site cleanup that ensures compliance with environmental laws and standards. Many of these jobs require a bachelor’s degree and work experience. Median annual salary: $124,650
Water resource specialist
These specialists design and help implement programs related to water supply, quality, and regulation. Most of these positions require a bachelor’s degree and experience in the field to be considered. Median annual salary: $137,900
Physicist
Physicists conduct research about physical phenomena, analyze and evaluate the data, and develop theories based on their findings. Most of these positions require a graduate degree like a master’s, a PhD, or a law degree, as well as extensive experience on the job. Median annual salary: $152,430
Beyond not dealing directly with human life, other factors that make these jobs less stressful are that many are not customer- or client-facing and don’t necessarily deal with tight deadlines or competitive cultures. Many can also occur at colleges, universities, or the local or federal government.
“Those are the places where you’re not seeing a big, stressful working environment,” says Buber. At times, these jobs may even offer more job security.
Still, “there could be other factors at play in terms of geography, the hours, and the employer,” says Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, about what could affect stress levels at these jobs. “If a mathematician, for instance, is employed internally by a company that is going to have layoffs, that could be stressful versus higher education that may have tenure.”