These Are the 10 Most Stressful Jobs You Can Have
Everyone complains about job stress. But how does your workplace pressure measure up to what other professionals face?
CareerCast's 2016 ranking of the most stressful jobs put enlisted military personnel at the top of the list, thanks to the role's taxing physical demands, perilous conditions, and high degree of personal risk. At the other end of the spectrum are information security analysts, who work to protect a company's sensitive information and deal with the least office-related stress, according to the report.
In putting together the rankings, CareerCast evaluated 200 jobs on 11 stress factors: travel required; growth potential; deadlines; working in the public eye; competition in the field; physical demands; environmental conditions; hazards encountered on a regular basis; own life at risk; life of others at risk; and meeting or interacting with the public at large.
CareerCast also noted each job's median salary and projected hiring growth through 2024, using BLS data.
While every job has some stress, professions that force you to confront personal endangerment, unsurprisingly, face the highest rates of job-related tension. The other professions that rounded out the top of the stressful jobs list -- firefighter, airline pilot, and police officer -- shared the anxiety-inducing task of protecting the lives of others.
The other big stressors CareerCast found: tight deadlines and high public scrutiny, says CareerCast's Kyle Kensing. That's what pushed public relations executives, broadcasters and newspaper reporters into the top 10.
Here are the 10 most stressful jobs:
| Ranking | Profession | Median Salary | Growth Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enlisted Military Personnel | $27,936 | N/A |
| 2 | Firefighter | $45,970 | 5% |
| 3 | Airline Pilot | $103,390 | 5% |
| 4 | Police Officer | $58,630 | 4% |
| 5 | Event Coordinator | $46,490 | 10% |
| 6 | Public Relations Executive | $55,680 | 6% |
| 7 | Senior Corporate Executive | $102,750 | 6% |
| 8 | Broadcaster | $29,010 | -11% |
| 9 | Newspaper Reporter | $37,200 | -9% |
| 10 | Taxi Driver | $23,210 | 13% |
And if you're contemplating a career change, here are the 10 least stressful jobs:
| Ranking | Profession | Median Salary | Growth Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Information Security Analyst | $88,890 | 18% |
| 2 | Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $62,540 | 24% |
| 3 | Tenured University Professor | $70,790 | 13% |
| 4 | Hair Stylist | $23,200 | 10% |
| 5 | Medical Records Technician | $35,900 | 15% |
| 6 | Medical Laboratory Technician | $49,310 | 16% |
| 7 | Jeweler | $36,870 | -11% |
| 8 | Audiologist | $73,060 | 29% |
| 9 | Dietitian | $56,950 | 16% |
| 10 | Librarian | $56,170 | 2% |