The truth is, no job is ever going to be free from stress, says a new CareerCast report on the most and least stressful jobs of 2018. This year’s least stressful job, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, may not work in the public eye, face imminent risk of bodily harm to oneself or one’s patient, and will not typically deal with high travel or workplace hazards.
“However, the least stressful job – Diagnostic Medical Sonographer – isn’t merely conducting pregnancy ultrasounds,” says Kyle Kensing, Online Content Editor, CareerCast.com. “Their days may include the task of cancer screenings, which can add stress to the job.”
When searching for a profession with low stress, it’s important to keep in mind the job’s growth outlook. While Jeweler (#7) is a low-stress profession, it has a negative growth outlook of -3%. On the other hand, Operations Research Analyst, which comes in as the 9th least stressful job, has a +27% growth outlook.
Most Stressful Jobs
Enlisted Military Personnel, Firefighters, Airline Pilots and Police Officers – the four most stressful jobs of 2018 – commonly face risk of death or injury, physical demands, and other hazards every single day.
Reporter, Broadcaster and Public Relations Executive are professions with high public visibility. Nearly three-quarters of the American population is estimated to suffer from public speaking anxiety, so with that in mind, one could understand how these careers are high stress.
Add strict and regular deadlines – a pressing concern for those who work as Event Coordinators, as well as Broadcasters, Reporters, Public Relations Executives and Senior Corporate Executives – and the causes of stress are evident.
How much stress we feel can vary depending on the field and stressors can vary dramatically from job to job.
“While the nature of fears and stressors for the 10 most stressful jobs are different, they are common fears just the same,” says Kensing. “For those who thrive on stress, one of our most stressful professions may be a good fit for you.”
CareerCast’s Least Stressful Jobs of 2018
|
Profession |
Annual Median Salary |
Growth Outlook |
Stress Score |
|
1. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer |
$64,280 |
17% |
5.11 |
|
2. Hair Stylist |
$24,300 |
10% |
6.61 |
|
3. Audiologist |
$75,980 |
20% |
7.22 |
|
4. University Professor |
$75,430 |
15% |
8.16 |
|
5. Medical Records Technician |
$38,040 |
13% |
8.54 |
|
6. Compliance Officer |
$66,540 |
5% |
8.78 |
|
7. Jeweler |
$38,200 |
-3% |
9.05 |
|
8. Pharmacy Technician |
$30,920 |
12% |
9.14 |
|
9. Operations Research Analyst |
$79,200 |
27% |
9.17 |
|
10. Medical Laboratory Technician |
$50,930 |
12% |
10.00 |
CareerCast’s Most Stressful Jobs of 2018
|
Profession |
Annual Median Salary |
Growth Outlook |
Stress Score |
|
1. Enlisted Military Personnel (E3, 6+ years of experience) |
$26,054 |
N/A |
72.47 |
|
2. Firefighter |
$48,030 |
7% |
72.43 |
|
3. Airline Pilot |
$105,270 |
4% |
61.07 |
|
4. Police Officer |
$61,600 |
7% |
51.97 |
|
5. Event Coordinator |
$47,350 |
10% |
51.15 |
|
6. Reporter |
$37,820 |
-11% |
49.90 |
|
7. Broadcaster |
$56,680 |
-1% |
49.83 |
|
8. Public Relations Executive |
$107,320 |
10% |
49.44 |
|
9. Senior Corporate Executive |
$181,210 |
8% |
48.71 |
|
10. Taxi Driver |
$24,300 |
5% |
48.11 |
To read the full report, visit http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/2018-least-stressful-jobs
