Looking for a new career? Consider these jobs.
You’ve been toiling away at the same job for years and daydreaming of something else. So maybe it’s time to do something else. People change careers all the time.
For those thinking about a complete career change but have no idea what to do, we’ve compiled a list of jobs that offer a strong salary and relatively stable job prospects. You’ll also see how they score in terms of a good work-life balance and where they fall in terms of the stress you may incur on the job. (A high stress level rating translates to two points — the lowest score — while low stress levels are rated at a 10 — the highest score. A rating of high work-life balance is represented by a score of 10, while a score of two indicates a low work-life balance rating.)
These are also careers that don’t require anything more than a Bachelor’s degree and should land you a salary of $60,000 a year or more. So here are some careers to consider, according to scores (out of 10) from the U.S. News Best Jobs rankings. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and scores on work-life balance and stress levels come from U.S. News interviews and research.
Software Developer
Median salary: $120,730
Stress level score: 6.0
Work-life balance score: 8.0
There are a lot of reasons to consider this career, especially if you always have had an interest in computers. You’ll use your intellect and creativity, as software developers design, test and develop apps and computer programs. It’s a job that might have a little stress sometimes, especially if you have a particularly demanding boss or client.
You might work in a very professional environment, or, if you prefer, in your pajamas at home. Either way, you’ll likely be paid well for your talents.
Learn more about software developers.
Market Research Analyst
Median salary: $63,920
Stress level score: 4.0
Work-life balance score: 6.0
Will anyone buy this? Market research analysts try to answer that question by studying data and market conditions. They’re helping brands decide who the ideal customer is — and how much the price should be.
You might work for a corporation, or perhaps the government. You might work for a government agency that is looking for more effective ways to advertise its state lottery, for instance. It’s a terrific career to switch to if you’ve been working in marketing already but want something a little different, or you simply believe you will enjoy market research.
It wouldn’t seem to be a stressful job, but it sometimes is; your employer may want your conclusions while you’re still trying to make sense of the data you’re poring through.
Learn more about market research analysts.
Logistician
Median salary: $77,030
Stress level score: 4.0
Work-life balance score: 4.0
Without a logistician, a supply chain can come to a grinding halt. The logistician helps organize and oversee how a product goes through the supply chain.
Not surprisingly, it can be kind of a stressful career, and the work-life balance isn’t spectacular. The bigger the supply chain, the more potential problems you might have, and you may have to leave your home at lousy times to go back to your office to fix whatever is going wrong. But for problem-solvers, the people who enjoy wrestling with real life puzzles, it may be a career you’ll thrive in.
Learn more about logisticians.
Management Analyst
Median salary: $93,000
Stress level score: 4.0
Work-life balance score: 10
Management analysts find ways to improve how an organization works and boost profits. If you’re thinking that this sounds like the same job as a management consultant — yes, that is another title this job often goes by.
It can be an excellent position for somebody who has spent a successful career in business and wants to pivot. The work-life balance, as you can see, is top-notch, since you’ll likely be working for yourself and out of a home office when you aren’t working with clients. The job can be stressful, especially when you’re starting off and building a client base and reputation. But if you want to work for yourself, it could be a dream job.
Learn more about management analysts.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Median salary: $61,730
Stress level score: 6.0
Work-life balance score: 6.0
If you want to spend your time helping people, and if you have an interest or experience in health care, this could be the career for you. You’re assisting an occupational therapist and working closely with people who, for whatever health reason, are having trouble completing daily tasks like using a fork to eat a meal or scrolling for information on their phone.
It can be a highly gratifying job. Because you’re giving people the tools to navigate their world in the day, you’re probably going to sleep well at night.
Learn more about occupational therapy assistants.
Computer Systems Analyst
Median salary: $99,270
Stress level score: 6.0
Work-life balance score: 6.0
This can be a shrewd career change for someone who knows a lot about computers. A computer systems analyst does just what the job suggests — you’re analyzing computer systems and figuring out how to make them run better. There’s no shortage of tasks you’ll be working on. For instance, you might be making the computers run better until your organization can afford to replace them — and then you’ll be a key decision-maker on what new technology to use. You could be battling cyberattacks.
You’re probably going to work at a corporation or maybe for a government agency, and you’ll be paid well for your knowledge and expertise.
Learn more about computer systems analysts.
Financial Advisor
Median salary: $94,170
Stress level score: 4.0
Work-life balance score: 6.0
This could be the right career move for anyone who is good with finance. Often, you’ll find one of these jobs by having had a successful career in business or in some industry that suggests you have the gravitas to advise people on their finances — and then, assuming you can get a financial advisory firm to believe in your potential, you’ll be trained by the company and work to pass the exam to become a certified financial planner.
As you’ll see, the work-life balance is pretty good. You’ll likely work at your employer’s office, but it’s a job in which you often have the flexibility to work at home or to come and leave when you please. But you are working with people’s finances, and clients sometimes will lose their cool if their investments drop (even if it isn’t your fault in the least), which means it can be a stressful career.
Learn more about financial advisors.
Data Scientist
Median salary: $100,910
Stress level score: 6.0
Work-life balance score: 8.0
Have you had a career in mathematics or computers? Is linear algebra or statistics your jam? You may want to take a look at the career of data scientist. It’s a job in which you’re examining a lot of data and analyzing algorithms — and making sense of it, so your employer can make better decisions.
What you’ll do as a data scientist varies. You might work for a large tech company, a tech startup or maybe a government agency. You might work for a health care organization trying to collect data that can help with cancer research. Or you might work for a large company with less lofty goals, collecting data, trying to help improve how people order food from a restaurant.
Learn more about data scientists.
Respiratory Therapist
Median salary: $61,830
Stress level score: 4.0
Work-life balance score: 4.0
Some respiratory therapists have associate degrees, though you probably will need a bachelor’s. It’s a career change that should be in reach if you’re already in health care or have an interest in the field. You’re working with patients who have trouble with their heart or lungs and have issues like asthma or sleep apnea.
Chances are, you’ll be working in a hospital, though you could wind up elsewhere, such as a nursing home or home health agency. It may not seem like a stressful job, but it can be, since you’re often dealing with family members who are concerned that their loved one is struggling to breathe.
Learn more about respiratory therapists.
Construction Manager
Median salary: $98,890
Stress level score: 2.0
Work-life balance score: 4.0
As you would expect with this career, you’d be supervising construction projects in this role. This is one of those careers that you’d probably want to aim for if you’re already working in construction or some related field, like engineering or architecture. But if you don’t have that experience but simply love the idea of working in construction, you could always start toiling at the bottom and try to work your way up.
You’ll note the stress levels are high. That’s because it isn’t easy managing a budget, workers’ schedules, clients’ complaints — there’s a lot you’ll be dealing with. But some people thrive on that type of organization stress and enjoy juggling a million little projects to get one big project achieved. If that’s you, this career may be for you.
Learn more about construction managers.
Here are great jobs to consider for a career change:
— Software Developer.
— Market Research Analyst.
— Logistician.
— Management Analyst.
— Occupational Therapy Assistant.
— Computer Systems Analyst.
— Financial Advisor.
— Data Scientist.
— Respiratory Therapist.
— Construction Manager.
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10 Jobs to Consider for a Career Change originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 04/17/23: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
