15 Meaningful Jobs That Pay Really Well

Business Insider
Jun 25th 2014 8:27AM
Doctor examining pacemaker on chest x-ray
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By Jacquelyn Smith

It seems like there are only two options when it comes to choosing a career: We can either pursue a meaningful job and make next to nothing, or we can pull in a pretty penny working insanely long hours in an uninspiring, high-pressure career.

But we've got some good news for you: It turns out there's a third option.
According to a new report from Payscale, there are plenty of jobs out there that offer both a fat paycheck and satisfying work.

Payscale, the creator of the world's largest database of individual compensation profiles, containing more than 40 million today, recently asked 374,000 workers: "Does your job make the world a better place?"

After analyzing job meaning for 453 jobs from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), Payscale then examined median pay, job satisfaction, job stress, and typical education level for each occupation, and compiled its second annual list of the Most and Least Meaningful Jobs in America.

Katie Bardaro, Payscale's lead economist, says workers in these meaningful jobs are "typically driven by an interest to better society and by philanthropic initiatives, rather than purely money or subject matter interest."

We sifted through Payscale's list and found the 15 most meaningful jobs with an average annual pay of $70,000 or more. Click through to check them out--or apply!

15 PHOTOS
15 Meaningful Jobs That Pay Really Well
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15 Meaningful Jobs That Pay Really Well

Median pay: $70,400

81% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

78% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

60% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a nuclear medicine technologist

Median pay: $88,200

83% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

80% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

73% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a physician assistant

Median pay: $70,600

84% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

81% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

86% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a law enforcement manager

Median pay: $70,500

85% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

82% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

82% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a health services manager

Median pay: $147,700

85% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

80% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

63% of employees say this job is stressful

> Find a job as a pediatrician

Median pay: $164,300

86% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

76% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

70% of employees say this job is stressful

> Find a job as a general practitioner

Median pay: $130,000

86% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

84% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

64% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a dentist

Median pay: $101,400

86% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

77% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

52% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as an optometrist

Median pay: $70,800

88% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

74% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

73% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a veterinarian

Median pay: $111,400

89% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

78% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

74% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a podiatrist

Median pay: $192,800

89% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

74% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

71% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a psychiatrist

Median pay: $72,800

90% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

82% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

56% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as a physical therapist

Median pay: $291,300

91% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

78% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

79% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as an anesthesiologist

Median pay: $75,900

93% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

87% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

85% of employees say this job is stressful.

> Find a job as an education administrator

Median pay: $299,600

94% of employees say this job is meaningful. 

82% of employees say this job is highly satisfying. 

79% of employees say this job is stressful

> Find a job as a surgeon

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