These Jobs Will Bring You Satisfaction No Matter How Much You Earn
Although the saying holds that “Money can’t buy happiness,” you probably wouldn’t be alone if you suspected you might enjoy your job more if it came with a big fat paycheck.
You would be wrong. A new analysis of Payscale.com data finds that there are highly satisfying jobs across the income spectrum, whether you make $20,000 a year or $200,000. What’s more, these jobs run the gamut when it comes to industries and skill or educational requirements. Satisfying work can be found in fields including healthcare, education, creative endeavors, the ministry, academics, finance, law, and aviation.
What’s more, even some of the lowest-paying jobs on this list give the people who perform them a strong sense of meaning and the belief that their work is contributing to making the world a better place.
So click through the gallery to see what satisfied workers who earn your salary do for a living, then tell us what you do and how much you get paid for it.
$25,000 and Under
1. Embroiderer
Median annual earnings: $24,100
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 76%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 32%
2. Florist
Median annual earnings: $24,800
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 72%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 44%
Are we surprised? Clearly there's something very satisfying about providing a beautiful product that makes people happy. There’s also the chance to be your own boss: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in four florists works for themselves. The American Institute of Floral Designers has a certification, and some community colleges offer courses or certifications in floral design.
3. Therapeutic Activity Assistant
Median annual earnings: $24,600
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 72%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 79%
4. Teaching Assistant
Median annual earnings: $23,500
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 72%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 67%
5. Special Education Paraprofessional/Education Paraprofessional
Median annual earnings: $24,100/$23,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 71%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 80%
$25,000 to $50,000
1. Personal Chef
Median annual earnings: $44,700
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 93%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 78%
For people who love to cook, being a personal chef brings a high degree of satisfaction. Although there are credentials and certifications available, it’s possible to earn a living as a personal chef with little formal training. Depending on the state you’re in and whether or not you plan to cater food or just work in a client's home, you might need to get licensed or inspected by your local health department. For people who cater to the appetites of celebrities, perks of the job can include trips to exotic destinations. Of course, the flip side is having to be on call whenever your boss wants a nosh, but the high satisfaction score of this job indicates that most personal chefs think the tradeoffs are worth it.
2. Pastor
Median annual earnings: $46,500
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 89%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 97%
3. Private Detective
Median annual earnings: $47,900
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 85%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 74%
4. Escrow Officer
Median annual earnings: $47,900
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 82%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 42%
5. Flight Attendant
Median annual earnings: $40,600
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 81%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 61%
$50,000 to $75,000
1. Senior Pastor
Median annual earnings: $58,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 95%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 98%
Payscale’s roundup of satisfying jobs includes three different pastoral positions. Formal schooling requirements vary, although many pastors hold degrees in theology. As a spiritual leader, the job duties are wide-ranging and the hours can be unpredictable, but for those who want a job where they can literally and figurative minister to people, a career in the clergy can be very rewarding. Perhaps that's why people who hold the three pastoral positions in this roundup have among the highest rates of professional meaningfulness, with 98% of senior pastors saying their jobs are meaningful, while 97% of both pastors and executive pastors say the same.
2. Fire Captain
Median annual earnings: $60,700
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 95%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 95%
3. Certified Diabetes Educator
Median annual earnings: $63,700
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 94%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 97%
4. Executive Pastor
Median annual earnings: $60,900
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 91%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 97%
5. Executive Director
Median annual earnings: $74,400
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 89%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 89%
$75,000 to $100,000
1. Air Traffic Controller
Median annual earnings: $82,100
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 90%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 71%
2. Interior Design Director
Median annual earnings: $95,900
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 89%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 83%
3. Orthopedic Physician Assistant
Median annual earnings: $94,400
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 87%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 88%
4. Senior Sales Executive
Median annual earnings: $90,500
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 86%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 38%
5. College Professor
Median annual earnings: $84,800
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 85%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 85%
Many people who pursue advanced degrees in their field dream of building a career in academia. Although competition can be stiff, especially in certain humanities subjects, people with a lifelong commitment to learning who land a coveted tenured position can expect to have a balance of teaching and research duties to keep them engaged.
$100,000 to $150,000
1. Pediatrician
Median annual earnings: $149,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 86%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 89%
Med school isn’t cheap or easy, but for people who persevere and make it through, many of the resulting jobs deliver both high pay and high satisfaction. Pediatricians, who go through a three-year pediatric residency after finishing medical school, see their pint-sized patients through many “firsts” and developmental milestones. (Of course, liking kids is, if not an official requirement, certainly a de facto one for this profession.)
2. Nurse Anesthetist
Median annual earnings: $140,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 86%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 87%
3. Auditing Director
Median annual earnings: $139,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 86%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 40%
4. (tie) Optometrist
Median annual earnings: $102,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 85%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 89%
Chief Financial Officer
Median annual earnings: $135,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 85%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 60%
Dentist
Median annual earnings: $128,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 85%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 93%
$150,000 to 200,000
1. President
Median annual earnings: $163,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 93%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 75%
2. Airline Captain
Median annual earnings: $151,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 90%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 59%
Although air travel isn’t without its stresses, being able to go to work at 35,000 feet above the earth makes up for many of them. Airline captains have to log a lot of time in the air to reach that position: The FAA says that all pilots hired by domestic airlines must have at least 1,500 hours of flight time under their belts. To become a captain, a pilot first has to fly at least 1,000 hours as an airline first officer. Many airline jobs also have a requirement for a college degree in an aviation or aeronautics-related field.
3. Medical Pathologist
Median annual earnings: $199,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 86%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 90%
4. Vice President of Sales
Median annual earnings: $158,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 85%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 56%
5. (tie) Psychiatrist
Median annual earnings: $200,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 82%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 90%
General Counsel
Median annual earnings: $171,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 82%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 48%
$200,000 and Up
1. Oncologist
Median annual earnings: $289,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 96%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 90%
2. Senior Vice President of Sales
Median annual earnings: $209,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 92%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 59%
3. Radiologist
Median annual earnings: $290,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 90%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 89%
Radiologists can be either medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy; both are responsible for looking at X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other medical images to diagnose injuries or illness. The process takes four years—and that’s after they get their medical degree. Following that, many choose to do an additional one- to two-year fellowship so they can focus on a speciality. Radiologists also need to have an expert grasp of the effect radiation has on a patient’s body and how to mitigate any potential risks.
4. ER Physician
Median annual earnings: $247,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 82%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 92%
5. Law Firm Partner
Median annual earnings: $214,000
Percentage who are “fairly” or “extremely” satisfied with their jobs: 77%
Percentage who think their job makes the world a better place: 43%