These Are the 10 Highest-Paying Jobs With the Lowest Stress, According to a New Report From astronomer to geographer, these jobs will reportedly offer the highest paychecks with the least amount of stress in 2025.

By Erin Davis

Key Takeaways

  • Career site Resume Genius examined data to determine which jobs will offer the highest paychecks with the least amount of stress in 2025.
  • All of the top 10 required at least a Bachelor's degree.

Is it possible to make decent money in a low-stress job? Do low-stress jobs even exist?

If you're looking to reduce stress next year, a job change might be on your mind. Resume Genius recently released a report that examined the top jobs deemed "low-stress" yet still "high-paying" for 2025. The resume company used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and career site O*NET Online to compile its "2025 Low-Stress, High-Paying Jobs" report.

"Heading into 2025, prioritizing mental health in the workplace is essential for job seekers to feel more at ease," said Eva Chan, a career expert at Resume Genius. "With remote work and hybrid setups becoming the norm, work-life boundaries are increasingly blurred. Our report on low-stress, high-paying jobs shows you don't have to sacrifice a competitive salary to achieve a healthier work-life balance. With the right role, it's possible to thrive both financially and mentally."

It's important to note that all of the top 10 require at least a Bachelor's degree, and school is not stress-free. Plus, people who actually work in these jobs might disagree about how stressful their jobs are (and how much they get paid).

To create the report, researchers filtered out high-stress jobs using O*NET's "stress tolerance" database and then cross-referenced job titles using BLS's Occupational Outlook Handbook data with at least the national median salary of $48,060 and demonstrated "faster-than-average growth."

Here's the list, according to the data:

1. Water resource specialist

  • Median annual salary: $157,740

  • Number of jobs (2023): 86,300

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 8%

  • Degree needed: Bachelor's degree

2. Astronomer

  • Median annual salary: $149,530

  • Number of jobs (2023): 23,500

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 7%

  • Degree needed: Doctoral or professional degree

3. Actuary

  • Median annual salary: $120,000

  • Number of jobs (2023): 30,200

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 23%

  • Degree needed: Bachelor's degree

4. Environmental economist

  • Median annual salary: $115,730

  • Number of jobs (2023): 17,500

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 5%

  • Degree needed: Master's degree

5. Mathematician

  • Median annual salary: $104,860

  • Number of jobs (2023): 34,800

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 11%

  • Degree needed: Master's degree

6. Computer systems analyst

  • Median annual salary: $103,800

  • Number of jobs (2023): 527,200

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 11%

  • Degree needed: Bachelor's degree

7. Fuel cell engineer

  • Median annual salary: $99,510

  • Number of jobs (2023): 291,900

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 11%

  • Degree needed: Bachelor's degree

8. Remote sensing scientist and technologist

  • Median annual salary: $92,580

  • Number of jobs (2023): 26,000

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 5%

  • Degree needed: Bachelor's degree

9. Geographer

  • Median annual salary: $90,880

  • Number of jobs (2023): 1600

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 3%

  • Degree needed: Bachelor's degree

10. Transportation planner

  • Median annual salary: $81,800

  • Number of jobs (2023): 45,200

  • Estimated job growth (2023–2033): 4%

  • Degree needed: Master's degree

Read the full report and see five more "low-stress" jobs, here.

Erin Davis

BIZ Experiences Staff

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