The 10 Most Stressful Jobs in the U.S

Although the US is a dream avenue for most people looking for work, it can also be quite stressful, especially in relation to particular professions which are just as taxing as in other countries.

Stress on the job is unfortunately an all too common occurrence with both short and long term consequences. Therefore, according to Mental Health America’s Mind the Workplace 2022 Report, four in five employees say workplace stress affects their relationships and personal life in general.

In the US, stress is a part of both low-wage and high-wage jobs. According to Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, there are intensely stressful jobs across the spectrum of salaries.

Salemi said, “It’s almost like it’s the great equalizer. There are jobs that are stressful that pay less and jobs that are stressful that pay more.”

According to the ranking of the Occupational Information Network or O*NET which is part of the US Labor Department, 873 occupations were infiltrated by stress levels graded out of 100.

Actually, most of the jobs listed require multiple degrees or post-graduate school, meaning that “many low and middle-skilled occupations [have] high levels of stress.”

According to Sania Khan, chief economist at Eightfold AI, the U.S. could see a decline in high-stress jobs such as entry-level positions at investment banks or law firms, citing “overall worker sentiment changes.”

“People are less tied to their employers nowadays, as we encountered with the ‘great resignation,’ so workers may feel less inclined to pursue such paths,” Khan said.

Top ten stressful jobs in the U.S

According to the O*NET, below are the top ten most stressful jobs in the US graded out of 100 with a reflection of the respective salary scale.

Urologists in the U.S.

Urologists are doctors who specialize in the genitourinary system, or the urinary and genital organs. They diagnose diseases and disorders such as infertility, incontinence, and bladder cancer.

Although this job requires a medical degree and extensive experience, it is ranked as the most stressful occupation with a stress level of 100 and a median annual salary of $208,000.

Film and video editor

These professionals edit footage according to scripts or the film or video’s narrative. They follow instructions from the project’s producer or director and add music, sound effects, and anything else the piece may need.

Although film and video editor jobs require a bachelor’s degree and some experience, the stress level is determined to be 99 with a median annual salary of $62,680.

Anesthesiologist assistant jobs

Anesthesiologist assistants administer anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures and monitor patient status. They provide patient care during surgical treatment.

Most of these positions require an advanced degree and extensive experience in the field. They have a stress level of 98 with a median annual salary of $121,530.

Judge and magistrates

Judges arbitrate and administer justice in courts of law, sentence defendants in criminal cases, write up decisions, and sometimes officiate wedding ceremonies.

This job has a stress level of 98, and many of these positions require graduate school and experience. However, they are rewarded with a median annual salary of $148,030.

Phone operator

These service workers assist customers by listening to requests and providing information, assisting with billing needs, and helping children or those with disabilities make phone calls.

The job usually requires a high school diploma with a median annual salary of $37,630, but the stress level is also especially high at 98.

Acute care nurse

These nurses provide advanced nursing care for patients with acute conditions such as heart attacks, respiratory distress syndrome, or symptoms of shock. However, they may also care for patients before and after operations as well as perform advanced, invasive procedures as needed.

Assigned a stress level of 97 and a median annual salary of $77,600, these positions require training in vocational schools or a relevant associate’s degree and experience on the job.

Obstetricians and gynecologists particularly stressed out

It has been determined that these medical experts have a stress level of 97 and a median annual salary of $208,000. They are required to have a medical degree and extensive experience.

They specialize in the female organs and reproductive system and provide pregnancy and childbirth care, diagnose and treat diseases, and perform relevant surgeries.

Public safety telecommunicator jobs in the U.S.

Public safety telecommunicators receive and communicate 911 requests via telephone, radio, or another communication systems for emergency assistance. They record information regarding crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters while also giving advice or instructions to callers.

They are required to have a high school diploma. The on-the-job stress level is 97 with a  median annual salary of $46,670.

First-line supervisor of retail sales jobs

These professionals supervise retail sales workers in stores and coordinate their activities, manage budgeting and accounting for the establishment, and assist customers.

The job is attributed to a median annual salary of $39,230, and it requires a high school diploma, but the stress level is a whopping 96.

Nurse anesthetist jobs in the U.S.

These nurses administer anesthesia, monitor patients’ vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia, possibly in an assistant role to anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists.

Besides a high stress level of 96, these anesthetists must be registered nurses with specialized graduate education. The median annual salary is $195,610.

Stressful jobs impact high stake decisions in U.S.

According to Sinem Buber, lead economist at ZipRecruiter, when it comes to these positions, there’s one common thing.

Buber said, “The importance of the decision they need to make every single day. All of them are high stakes decisions.”

“For public safety telecommunicators, 911 operators, or urologists, physicians and obstetricians, they need to make that life and death decision within seconds and with the highest precision,” she says.

Commenting on judges, she says, “They feel the burden of the human life as much as doctors,” adding that although they don’t have to make those kinds of decisions within seconds, the choices they make could have drastic effects on people and lives.

And when it comes to customer-facing jobs such as retail supervisors and phone operators, “All they do is pick up the phone or have this face-to-face conversation with an angry, frustrated client or a customer,” she says.

Many of these jobs pose a direct threat to the lives of the people doing them, especially when it comes to the medical fields. “They’re there to save human life,” Buber says, “but when [they’re] doing it, they have a high risk of getting infected.”

However, although this level of risk was usually relegated to people in health care, as of the onset of the pandemic, frontline workers such as those in customer-facing jobs have been at high risk of infections themselves.