Balance demands of the workplace with your personal life.
With concerns of a recession in 2023, it’s not just important to have a job that’s stable. A low-stress job is ideal. These jobs either come with predictable working hours so that you know you’re not taking your work home with you, or other perks, such as low barriers to entry or opportunities to choose your own hours, which can help with work-life balance.
These jobs also have median incomes of at least $45,000, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bookkeeping, Accounting and Audit Clerk
Expected job growth by 2031: -4.5%
Median salary: $45,560
Bookkeeping, accounting and audit clerks may be able to work part time, so this helps with choosing your own hours, as well as work-life balance. They keep track of financial records for businesses using software and they also check for any fiscal errors.
Bookkeepers focus on the general ledger, or all of a company’s financial accounts. Accounting clerks focus on accounts payable or receivable. Auditing clerks watch out for inaccuracies and may work with top-level staff to address major issues.
Learn more about bookkeeping, accounting and audit clerks.
Painter
Expected job growth by 2031: 1.3%
Median salary: $45,590
Self-employed painters may be able to choose their own hours. Most work full time. No formal education is required and since it’s possible to learn on the job, this is a role that does not come with a lot of student debt. It’s also stable work, with a low unemployment rate at 1.3%.
Painters apply paint to buildings, machines, bridges, walls and other surfaces.
Learn more about painters.
Medical Records Technician
Expected job growth by 2031: 6.6%
Median salary: $46,660
Another role that does not require lots of college debt, medical records technicians can get started with a high school diploma or a postsecondary certificate. An associate degree or certification may be required by some employers.
They are versed in the health care industry coding system, using it to enter patient data and keep track of medical files. The unemployment rate for this role is low, 1.5%. Most work full time.
Learn more about medical record technicians.
Massage Therapist
Expected job growth by 2031: 20.0%
Median salary: $46,910
Massage therapists can enter the profession with a postsecondary nondegree award, so there’s no concern about expensive college debt. They may also be required to have a license or other certification in some states. Massage therapists treat pain and stress in people through manipulation of the soft tissues of the body.
This is a role that can go part time, and many massage therapists are self-employed, which may mean they can choose their own hours.
Learn more about massage therapists.
Environmental Science and Protection Technician
Expected job growth by 2031: 5.9%
Median salary: $47,370
Environmental science and protection technicians work full time. An associate degree is required to enter the role, so there’s no need to stress about expensive college debt.
Environmental science and protection technicians work hands-on with improving spaces to ensure health and public safety, which can be satisfying. They look into concerns about water, air quality and issues with food safety.
Learn more about environmental science and protection technicians.
Wind Turbine Technician
Expected job growth by 2031: 44.3%
Median salary: $56,260
Wind turbine technicians, or windtechs, install and repair large machines that convert wind energy into electricity. This job does not require a college degree, so there’s no stress over large debt if you go into this profession. You can learn to become a windtech in technical school, and there’s also some on-the-job training.
Windtechs may need to be on call for emergencies or available to work evenings or weekends, but there are other great benefits to this job that has it ranked No. 1 in Best Maintenance and Repair Jobs, and No. 2 in Best Jobs Without a College Degree. Higher salary and projected job growth over the next decade also feature for this role.
Learn more about wind turbine technicians.
Hearing Aid Specialist
Expected job growth by 2031: 15.7%
Median salary: $59,500
Hearing aid specialists help people to regain or improve their hearing through fitting them for hearing aids. Making sure that people get what they need to stay connected with other people and resume daily living is rewarding work.
Since they usually work full time and may also work for franchises, it’s a job that keeps regular business hours. So you won’t be taking your work home with you.
Learn more about hearing aid specialists.
Survey Researcher
Expected job growth by 2031: 6.3%
Median salary: $59,740
Survey researcher is another stable job with more predictable working hours. Add to that the satisfaction of doing research to improve lives and this is a great lower stress, high-paying job. They collect data on what people care about and then analyze and present their findings through fact sheets or other reports.
Learn more about survey researchers.
Cartographer
Expected job growth by 2031: 2.6%
Median salary: $68,900
Cartographers create maps and charts, usually for digital formats. Cartographers have jobs with steady hours and work in offices when not in the field. Full-time jobs with predictable hours like this one are desirable for work-life balance.
Learn more about cartographers.
Radiation Therapist
Expected job growth by 2031: 6.3%
Median salary: $82,790
Radiation therapists manage equipment to administer radiation treatment to patients who have certain diseases or cancer. Since sessions are usually scheduled in advance, radiation therapists work regular, full-time hours. The higher salary can also mean a great quality of life.
Learn more about radiation therapists.
Statistician
Expected job growth by 2031: 32.7%
Median salary: $95,570
Statisticians examine data and conduct surveys to resolve problems in business, science and other fields. They usually work full time, with steady 9-to-5 hours. Sometimes, overtime is needed to meet deadlines, but in a work setting with predictable hours, it’s easier for statisticians to plan life around work. This may mean greater work-life balance.
Learn more about statisticians.
Orthodontist
Expected job growth by 2031: 4.5%
Median salary: $208,000
Orthodontists who own their own businesses may be able to set their own schedules and have greater control over work-life balance. Orthodontists straighten teeth using braces or other tools. Orthodontist and other dentists remain well-paid careers that are in regular demand.
A high salary and low 0.5% unemployment rate also make this a desirable job.
Learn more about orthodontists.
These are the best low-stress, high-paying jobs:
— Bookkeeping, Accounting and Audit Clerk.
— Painter.
— Environmental Science and Protection Technician.
— Cartographer.
— Statistician.
— Orthodontist.
More from U.S. News
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Best Low-Stress, High-Paying Jobs originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 02/22/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
