Data compiled and released last month by Resume Genius, a career support specialist.

According to the report, the highest-paying, lowest-stress job in the US is astronomer, with an average annual salary of 132,200 USD. The top 10% of earners in this field can make up to 191,900 USD per year.

Resume Genius noted that while this job requires high concentration, it does not involve constant client demands or confrontational situations. However, the projected job growth rate for the next 10 years is only 2%, which is lower than the average of 3%.

The next two professions on the list are actuary and computer systems analyst. Both share the characteristic of not having frequent urgent demands. Daily tasks are typically planned in advance, eliminating the need to handle client conflicts.

These two jobs both offer average annual salaries in the six-figure range and significantly faster growth rates than the average, especially for actuaries, at 22%.

Regarding qualification requirements, astronomer demands the highest (a doctoral degree). The easiest job to enter is drywall installer, which requires no degree.

The specific list is as follows:

This list was compiled from the US Department of Labor's O*NET occupational database and the BLS. The screening process began with the "tolerance for stress" criterion within O*NET's Work Environment scale.

Subsequently, salary data for these professions was gathered from the BLS's Occupational Employment Statistics. Job outlooks were also collected from the agency's Employment Projections for the period 2024–2034. Only professions with a positive projected growth rate and an average annual salary above 60,000 USD were included in the list.

Computer systems analyst ranks as the third best high-paying, low-stress job in the US. Photo: Career One Stop.

Khanh Linh