The 26 Happiest Jobs on The Planet You Can Work at Today

Your job is vital to your Happiness^{1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5423407/}. This makes sense, considering that if you work 40 hours per week, you spend about a third of your waking hours at your job. 

If you’re considering changing jobs or starting a career, tune into the rest of this post, where you’ll learn what makes a happy job and the happiest job options out there.

The Happiest Job Is…

One firm did a huge study^{2https://www.fastcompany.com/3041591/why-are-construction-workers-the-happiest-employees} of over 30,000 employees. They looked at jobs from different industries, from teachers to doctors to even janitors, to figure out the happiest employees.

Can you guess which job had the happiest employees?

Drumroll, please

The answer is construction workers!

Construction workers had the highest job satisfaction. 

Watch our video below to learn more about this study!

Here’s why:

• They create. Construction workers can take an abstract idea or plan and turn it into something real.
• There’s a high sense of camaraderie. Construction workers can’t do it alone. They have to have others lifting and building with them; they get help from the plumbers for the pipes, and they need electricians for electricity. We love to work with others and feel like our skills complement other people’s skills.
• They go outside. Construction workers tend to be out… a lot! They go in and out of buildings, get sunlight, and breathe fresh, clean air—all of which boost your mood and are essential for Happiness.

But that’s not all. I found there are 4 key elements to any happy job. They are:

• Prosocial: Interacting with people and helping them in some way
• Creative: Being able to see a vision and make it happen
• Teaching: Jobs that allow others to learn from your experiences or knowledge
• Protecting: Jobs that help others who are in danger or bad health

What about other jobs?

Writer

Average Salary: $53,872^{3https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Writer_%2F_Author/Salary}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in any field (or none at all)

Personality Traits: Creative, good with words, has self-initiative

Perfect For: People who want a voice and to be heard; people who love to read books

I might be slightly biased, but I LOVE my job, like many other writers I know. There is something amazing about putting your vision onto paper. It’s creating something out of nothing—even if you aren’t a writer, that is a fundamental trait of happy jobs.

I also love using words to inspire. Words are free. So, to be able to write blogs and books (shoutout to our book, Captivate), it’s like taking a free resource and making it powerful. Can you inspire people and get them to take action using the power of words or ideas alone?

Writing is also fulfilling because it allows you to thrive on creativity. Our thoughts are our words, our pen and paper, our instruments. Great writers don’t only write—they spread contagious ideas. If you’re considering becoming a writer, I highly recommend just STARTING. It’s free. Grab a pen, paper, napkin, and crayon, and start writing.

My rule of thumb: it’s better to have 100 good words on paper than 10 perfect ones.

Get Started: The EXACT 10 Steps You Need to Learn How to Become a Writer

Firefighters

Average Salary: $52,086^{4https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Fighter/Salary} 

Minimum Education Level: High School Diploma or GED

Personality Traits: Brave, self-sacrificial, situational awareness

Perfect For: Those who want to save lives; people who aren’t scared of fire

Firefighters are the heroes of the world. They’re on the scene, saving lives, and everybody loves firefighters.

Not only do they get the glory, but firefighters also are lucky enough to be part of a tribe or team. Working in close quarters and having your life depend on your coworkers sometimes creates strong bonds between firefighters—bonds that often last a lifetime.

Since they save the day, firefighters are more than happy to do their work. There are even 745,000 volunteer firefighters^{5https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/Emergency-responders/osfdprofile.pdf} (as of 2018) ready to put their lives on the line to save others.

Get Started: 11 Requirements to Become a Firefighter

Human Resources Manager

Average Salary: $80,775^{6https://www.indeed.com/career/human-resources-manager/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources or a related field.

Personality Traits: Excellent communication skills, empathy, and leadership qualities.

Perfect For: People who love working with others and are passionate about creating a great workplace culture.

As an HR manager, you’re the go-to person for all things employee-related in a business administration. Your role involves recruiting, training, and creating a positive work environment. It’s like being the captain of a ship where your crew is happy and thriving.

Get Started: Everything You Need to Know About Becoming an HR Manager

Graphic Designer

Average Salary: $50,349^{7https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Graphic_Designer/Salary}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design or related field.

Personality Traits: Creative, detail-oriented, visually inclined.

Perfect For: Those with a creative flair who enjoy storytelling through design.

Graphic designers are the artists of the corporate world, turning ideas into visual magic, whether for websites, brochures, or brand logos. It’s a blend of creativity and technology–like painting on a digital canvas.

Get Started: How to Become a Graphic Designer

Community Social Worker

Average Salary: $53,599^{8https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Social_Worker/Salary}

Minimum Education Level: 3-Year Undergraduate Degree

Personality Traits: Patient, empowering, non-judgmental

Perfect For: Empaths who want to help struggling people personally

A community social worker tends to the community’s needs, such as addressing complex issues with poverty, discrimination, disabilities, and more. Depending on the line of work, social workers can face many difficult problems.

My social worker friend says you’ve got to be sharp and resilient to last in this job, as many social workers deal with people facing the lowest of the lows. But bringing people up is exactly what social workers love to do.

Get Started: How to Become a Licensed Social Worker Step-by-Step

Real Estate Agent

Average Salary: $95,713^{9https://www.indeed.com/career/real-estate-agent/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: High school diploma and real estate training course.

Personality Traits: Personable, persuasive, good negotiator.

Perfect For: Social butterflies who love architecture and helping others.

Real estate agents are the matchmakers of the housing world, helping people find their dream homes. It’s part sales, part customer service, and always about making dreams come true. Just note that you’ll need a different state license wherever you practice.

Get Started: Guide to Becoming a Real Estate Agent

Veterinarian

Average Salary: $123,744^{10https://www.indeed.com/career/veterinarian/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree.

Personality Traits: Compassionate, patient, problem-solving skills.

Perfect For: Animal lovers with a passion for science and healthcare.

Veterinarians are the doctors of the animal world, ensuring our furry, feathered, and sometimes scaly friends stay healthy. It’s a job filled with challenges, love for animals, and the joy of cuddles and purrs.

Get Started: How to Become a Veterinarian: Your 8-Step Guide

Construction Worker

Average Salary: $38,965^{11https://www.indeed.com/career/construction-laborer/salaries?from=top_sb} 

Minimum Education Level: High School Diploma

Personality Traits: Practical, safe, and cautious; good at handling stress

Perfect For: People who love to do physical work, belong in a group, and work outdoors

Take one step outside, and chances are you’ll see many buildings construction workers have finished. Construction workers are the #1 happiest job for a reason—they do what humans are built for! They plan, move, and use their bodies and see their creative works come to life.

Not all construction jobs are easy to jump into, however. The Laborers’ International Union of North America requires 4,000 hours of on-the-job training and 300 hours of other studying in safety and health procedures.

If you love working outdoors and doing physical work (and don’t mind working in the world’s happiest job), look no further than being a construction worker!

Plus, if you stick around in this industry long enough to move up the ranks, construction managers rake in $88,153 a year.

Get Started: Learn About Being a Construction Worker

Interior Designer

Average Salary: $67,877^{12https://www.indeed.com/career/interior-designer/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design.

Personality Traits: Creative, detail-oriented, good spatial awareness.

Perfect For: Those with a flair for design and a love for transforming spaces.

Interior designers create spaces that are aesthetically pleasing but also functional and safe. They combine art, psychology, and architecture to make homes and businesses look fabulous.

Get Started: How to Become an Interior Designer: Everything You Need to Know

Data Scientist

Average Salary: $124,514^{13https://www.indeed.com/career/data-scientist/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, or a related field.

Personality Traits: Analytical, curious, problem-solving skills.

Perfect For: Puzzle lovers and those who enjoy uncovering hidden insights.

Data scientists make sense of complex data to help companies make smarter decisions. It’s a mix of statistics, business acumen, and the ability to see stories in numbers.

Get Started: How to Become a Data Scientist in 8 Steps

Dentist

Average Salary: $227,369^{14https://www.indeed.com/career/dentist/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD).

Personality Traits: Detail-oriented, good manual dexterity, patient.

Perfect For: Those with a passion for healthcare and a steady hand.

Dentists are the champions of oral health, combining medical expertise with a gentle touch to keep smiles bright and healthy. It’s a role that mixes healthcare with craftsmanship, maintaining clean gums and teeth shining.

A dental hygienist is another option if you want a similar role with fewer educational requirements.

Get Started: How to Become a Dentist

Kindergarten Teacher

Average Salary: $45,169

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree 

Personality Traits: Love kids, sense of humor, high energy

Perfect For: Kid lovers, enthusiastic people, and soon-to-be parents

If you’re happy and know it, you must be a kindergarten teacher.

A kindergarten teacher helps kids develop many traits, such as basic reading and number skills. This job is great if you love kids… but it can be a nightmare if you don’t.

Kindergarten teachers are like parents. They:

• tell kids what to do
• supervise them
• gather them to play different games

The big difference between a parent and teachers is that teachers control a whole group of kids. Teachers are happy because they help develop^{15https://resources.workable.com/kindergarten-teacher-job-description#:~:text=Teaching%20in%20kindergarten%20includes%20planning,instructional%20methods%20to%20motivate%20children.} a child’s personal, social, and emotional skills and see their students grow up along the way.

Many teachers often feel sad to see their students go, as they become attached to them.

If you’re a children person like me, you know how amazing it would be to teach kindergarten students. Although teachers aren’t paid enough, their love for the job makes up for the lower salary.

Get Started: How to become a kindergarten teacher

Chiropractor

Average Salary: $84,291^{16https://www.indeed.com/career/chiropractor/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree.

Personality Traits: Empathetic, manual dexterity, good communication skills.

Perfect For: People who enjoy physical work and providing pain relief.

Chiropractors are the architects of the human frame, specializing in the care of the spine and musculoskeletal system. It’s hands-on work that aligns bodies and brings relief.

Get Started: How to Become a Chiropractor

Plumber

Average Salary: $59,773^{17https://www.indeed.com/career/plumber/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: High school diploma and apprenticeship or vocational training.

Personality Traits: Problem-solving, physically fit, practical.

Perfect For: Those who like hands-on work and solving practical problems.

Plumbers are the unsung heroes of waterworks, ensuring pipes and systems flow smoothly. It’s a practical, hands-on job that solves puzzles beneath our floors and behind walls.

Get Started: How to Become a Plumber

Carpenter

Average Salary: $60,525^{18https://www.indeed.com/career/carpenter/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: High school diploma and apprenticeship or vocational training.

Personality Traits: Detail-oriented, good hand-eye coordination, creativity.

Perfect For: People who enjoy crafting and building with their hands.

Carpenters are the creators of woodwork, crafting everything from furniture to house frames. It’s a role where you can build dreams from the ground up. Plus, many consider roles where you build things with your hands to be the most satisfying jobs.

Get Started: How to Become a Carpenter in 4 Steps

Physical Therapist

Average Salary: $75,968^{19https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Physical_Therapist_(PT)/Salary} 

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree 

Personality Traits: Supportive, sociable, health-conscious

Perfect For: Health fanatics, sports/fitness enthusiasts

For the longest time, I’ve had an aching lower back pain. The kind of pain that makes you realize you’re getting older.

But it all went away as soon as I started practicing yoga and seeing a physical therapist.

Physical therapists are body-healing wizards. They help people go from injury to feeling free with a detailed recovery plan. After visiting my physical therapist, I realized I was sitting at my desk the whole time!

Physical therapists are happy because they interact with so many people daily. We trust their expertise and that good physical therapists help improve people’s bodies and mobility.

Get Started: How to Become a Physical Therapist

Landscape Architect

Average Salary: $74,820^{18https://www.indeed.com/career/carpenter/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture.

Personality Traits: Creative, environmentally conscious, good spatial awareness.

Perfect For: Individuals passionate about design, nature, and creating sustainable, aesthetically pleasing outdoor environments.

Landscape architects are the creative visionaries of outdoor spaces, designing parks, gardens, and urban spaces that are as functional as beautiful. It’s a blend of environmental science, art, and design, making the world greener and more enjoyable.

Get Started: How to Become a Landscape Architect

Actuary

Average Salary: $114,678^{20https://www.indeed.com/career/actuary/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science, Mathematics, or related field plus actuarial certification exams.

Personality Traits: Analytical, detail-oriented, good with numbers.

Perfect For: Number crunchers who enjoy predicting the future.

Actuaries are the fortune tellers of finance, using mathematics and statistics to predict and manage insurance rates. It’s a career known for good pay with a solid work-life balance.

Get Started: 8 Steps to Becoming an Actuary

Counselor

Average Salary: $60,000^{21https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=Licensed_Professional_Counselor_(LPC)/Salary} 

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s in Psychology

Personality Traits: Empathetic, active listening, compassionate

Perfect For: People who have suffered and want to help those suffering

Counselors can listen deeply and help others explore their feelings, heal their past, and find direction in life. Many folks drawn to counseling tend to play the informal role of a counselor among their friends. Often, people seek them out to share their challenges.

Counselors are happy because they get to help people in a felt way. They get to witness another person’s growth and healing in their office.  

How cool is that?

Counselors act as someone people trust. Others go to them to deal with any issues, such as drug abuse, depression, suicide, marriage, and LGBTQ issues.

Get Started: How To Become A Counselor

Financial Advisor

Average Salary: $79,688^{22https://www.indeed.com/career/financial-advisor/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Economics, or a related field.

Personality Traits: Good with numbers, strong communication skills, empathetic.

Perfect For: People who love planning and helping others secure their financial future.

Financial advisors are like personal trainers for your finances. Simply put, they help individuals manage their money better. It’s a role that combines finance knowledge with a passion for helping people achieve their financial goals.

Get Started: How to Become a Financial Advisor

Speech-Language Pathologist

Average Salary: $119,745^{23https://www.indeed.com/career/speech-language-pathologist/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Personality Traits: Patient, good listener, empathetic.

Perfect For: Those who love communicating and want to help others do the same.

Speech-language pathologists help people improve their speech and language abilities. It’s a rewarding career because practitioners give a voice to those who struggle to communicate.

Get Started: How to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist

Photographer

Average Salary: $41,413^{24https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Photographer/Hourly_Rate}

Minimum Education Level: High School Diploma

Personality Traits: Perceptive, eye for detail, passionate

Perfect For: Creative storytellers who have a knack for visual arts

A photographer is a storyteller. A creative. A visionary. They capture memories and experiences without necessarily having to use words, unlike a writer. Photographers have one of the happiest jobs in the world because they get to tell a story.

Like painters, photographers often blend realistic scenes to create a story or document an experience. And photographers are super happy—have you ever seen a professional photographer angry? I certainly haven’t… well, maybe at my cousin’s wedding. But other than THAT, they are happy. That is also because you can be a photographer with much freedom—you don’t have to do it full-time. You can do newborn photos instead of weddings, pets instead of newborns, or boudoir instead of pets. You are in control!

Get Started: My incredible, talented, and amazing photographer, Maggie Kirkland, teaches photographers the art and business of photography. Check her out!

Radiation Therapist

Average Salary: $120,007^{25https://www.indeed.com/career/radiation-therapist/salaries}

Minimum Education Level: Associate’s Degree or Bachelor’s in Radiation Therapy.

Personality Traits: Detail-oriented, empathetic, technologically savvy.

Perfect For: Individuals passionate about healthcare technology and patient care.

Radiation therapists are the precise operators in cancer treatment, using advanced technology to target and treat cancer cells. It’s a role that’s at the intersection of healthcare and technology.

Get Started: How to Become a Radiation Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Average Salary: $99,590^{26https://www.indeed.com/career/occupational-therapist/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy.

Personality Traits: Creative, patient, good problem-solving skills.

Perfect For: Those who enjoy helping others achieve independence and improve their quality of life.

Occupational therapists make treatment plans to help people live more independently by assisting them in overcoming physical or mental challenges. They work with patients with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional impairments affecting their everyday activities. It’s a career filled with variety, creativity, and the joy of making everyday life better for others.

Get Started: How to Become an Occupational Therapist

Forester

Average Salary: $39,874^{27https://www.indeed.com/career/forester/salaries?from=top_sb}

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry or a related field.

Personality Traits: Love for the outdoors, environmentally conscious, good with physical work.

Perfect For: Nature enthusiasts who are passionate about conservation and the outdoors.

These professionals are the guardians of our forests, managing and conserving wooded areas for environmental and recreational purposes. It’s a role that combines a love for nature with the science of sustainability.

Get Started: How to Become a Forester

Money = Happiness?

Let’s ask the age-old question: does money equal Happiness?

A 2018 study^{28https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-017-0277-0} gathered data from the Gallup World Poll^{29https://www.gallup.com/analytics/232838/world-poll.aspx} shows that the ideal income range for emotional well-being is $60,000–$75,000 and $95,000 for life satisfaction.

BUT…

There’s a hidden cost to all that money.

Compiled data from the CPD Standards Office^{30https://www.cpdstandards.com/news/more-money-more-happiness/} shows that higher income can lead to a lot of stress, with a whopping 90% correlation between income satisfaction and anxiety.

Why? Because even when people are making more money, there are also the downsides:

• longer working hours
• more responsibility

So, in short, money does lead to more Happiness sometimes… If you can manage the anxiety and take the greater responsibility of earning more.

Instead of chasing money, I highly recommend finding your dream job. Check out this TED talk by Scott Dinsmore to learn more about finding work you love:

What Job Is the Least Stressful?

So you want to kick back, relax, and not have to worry about all that work stress?

First, according to CareerCast’s annual Most Stressful Jobs report^{31https://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/most-stressful-jobs-2019}, you probably want to AVOID these jobs (the higher the number, the higher the stress):

• enlisted military personnel: 72.58
• firefighter: 72.38
• airline pilot: 61.20
• police officer: 51.94
• broadcaster: 51.27
• event coordinator: 51.19
• newspaper reporter: 49.96
• public relations executive: 49.48
• senior corporate executive: 48.97
• taxi driver: 48.17

Not to mention being a CEO or C-level executive (this one takes a toll on you!).

If you’re looking for less stress, the same study listed these jobs as the least stressful:

• diagnostic medical sonographer: 5.07
• compliance officer: 5.76
• hair stylist: 6.72
• audiologist: 7.28
• university professor (tenured): 8.42
• medical records technician: 8.52
• jeweler: 9
• operations research analyst: 9.09
• pharmacy technician: 9.19
• massage therapist: 10:39

Diagnostic medical sonographer came in first as the least stressful job ever! If you don’t know what that is, that’s the person responsible for performing diagnostic procedures, such as using ultrasound cream on a pregnant woman’s belly to see the fetus.

The #1 Most Respected Job

OK, I’m not a construction worker. And chances are you’re not either. But this doesn’t mean YOU don’t have the happiest or most respected job ever!

The #1 most respected job you can have is doing what you love. Even if that means not being in a “traditional” job. That’s why I love being a mother! I feel fortunate to be a writer and a mother – two of the happiest jobs on the planet.

And let me tell you: being a parent is like flipping the switch ON and keeping it there 24/7. To all the mothers, fathers, grandparents, and soon-to-be parents out there…

You rock!

Stay strong, and keep doing the job that matters the most!

The Unhappiest Jobs in The World

Before we dive into the other happiest jobs in the world…

First, what makes a job UNHAPPY?

According to CareerBliss’s 2018 unhappiest jobs report^{32https://www.careerbliss.com/blog/the-careerbliss-happiest-and-unhappiest-jobs-of-2018/}, one job stands out as the unhappiest job in the world.

Can you guess what it is? Is it:

1. security guard
2. garbage collector
3. cashier
4. accountant

If you guessed d) accountant, you’re right! Accountants were found to be the unhappiest, followed by security guards and cashiers—so bonus points if you chose those.

While the unhappiest jobs paid significantly less than the happiest jobs, there were other factors involved: 

• toxic work culture
• lack of growth opportunities and 
• bad relationships with coworkers

Stuck in an unhappy job? Try brushing up on these skills to increase your Happiness:

• Got a virtual job? Learn my secret tips to maximize your work-from-home productivity.
• Improve your emotional intelligence to boost your professional relationships.
• Become a great manager to have happier employees.
• Ditch the fake work friends; learn to make real ones.
• Check out my guide to becoming happier at work.

What is The Loneliest Job?

According to a 2018 Harvard study^{33https://hbr.org/2018/03/americas-loneliest-workers-according-to-research} of 1,624 full-time employees, the loneliest job is in the law profession. Coupled with high stress and long working hours, lawyers often feel isolated for long periods.

But it’s not just Saul who’s lonely—other common jobs also face loneliness:

• Medicine. People with medical degrees are 25% lonelier than those with just a bachelor’s.
• Science. Lab assistants, technical wizards, oh my! These workers spend long hours on the computer or researching, increasing loneliness.
• Engineering. Engineers are often steeped in their plans and can be introverted.
• Civil servants. Surprisingly, government employees reported lower levels of social support than other workers.

So, if you’re a die-hard extrovert and can’t help being surrounded by people, try finding a suitable job that fits.

One thing I find that helps many individuals is mastering their communication skills! Whether learning to read body language, developing public speaking skills, or being more likable, proper training can dramatically impact your job performance.

And if you liked this post, you might also enjoy this post on How to Land Your Dream Job, From Resume to Interview.