25 Low-Stress Jobs: Get Better Pay Without High Anxiety

Finding low-stress jobs can make a significant difference in people’s lives! It’s not easy finding the best options for jobs that will keep you healthy and happy.

Most people want to find a fulfilling job that doesn’t make them miserable. It can be hard to find a job as an introvert or someone with anxiety.

You want to be able to work at a job that pays well and has good benefits, but also one that won’t cause stress or anxiety. 

We did the research and even created a stress tolerance score ranging from 1- 10 for low to high stress- but these picks will all have less stress than some other office jobs!

Here are 25 options for jobs that are good for people with anxiety or jobs for those looking for less stress in their life.

Quick Picks

Having so many options for low-stress careers is great, but I’m sure you want to know which are the best options for those of us with low stress tolerance!

Maybe you even want a lazy job that pays well with less effort so you can be stressed out less and have an easier work load.

Here are our tops picks for less stressful jobs:

Best Job For Readers – Proofreading
Best Jobs For Writers – Freelance Writing
Best Jobs For Math Love – Bookkeeper
Best Solo Career – Blogging

25 Low-Stress Jobs To Avoid Anxiety & Get Paid Better

You might be fed up with your current job and feel ready to quit in favor of a lower-stress job.

If you want to avoid being stressed out by your work, you’ll need to take care when choosing a career.

Say goodbye to stressful jobs, and let’s check out your best options to improve your work-life balance and make you happy to get to work:

1. Online Proofreader 

Median Salary: $45,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 2/10

Proofreaders are responsible for ensuring that the text of documents doesn’t have any errors.

Proofreading is low-stress because you can find proofreading work from home, choose when you want to work, and create your balance between family time and work.

Plus, proofreading can be a very profitable small business!

2. Online Bookkeeper

Median Salary: $46,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 4/10

Bookkeepers are responsible for keeping track of businesses’ financial records. If you like working with numbers, this might be a good career path for you.

This is a low-stress job because you can work from home and avoid a stressful commute. You also get to choose when you want to work, which is great for people who like to take time off and want a better work-life balance.

According to Labor Statistics, you can make $22 per hour working as a bookkeeper from home!

Visit Bookkeeper Launch for a free workshop that shows you how to start a profitable online bookkeeping business.

3. Freelance Writer

Median Salary: $70,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 2/10

Freelance writers also work from anywhere and set their own schedules.

You will need to apply yourself if you want to earn a good income, but as long as you’re willing to market your writing skills, it’s easy to find writing gigs online.

This job is low-stress because you don’t typically have anxiety-inducing meetings and can choose when and where you work.

The course Earn More Writing will help you grow freelance writing into a profitable career with some dedication and elbow grease!

Write and optimize your content faster than ever with AI assistance from Jasper and SEO insights from Surfer SEO.

4. Blogger

Median Salary: $42,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 1/10

Blogging is one of the least stressful jobs out there for people with anxiety because it’s about what you know, and what you like, and giving you an outlet to share those passions and make money!

Bloggers make money through advertising, affiliates, and sponsorships, which takes time to find, but when you write about what you’re interested in, work seems less like work.

As a blogger, you can write about whatever you want, like food, fashion, or business. We enjoy finance and family life and strive to teach you about achieving your financial freedom with our blog!

You never have to work from an office (and you can stay in your pj’s!), and you can avoid the anxiety that comes with bosses and deadlines because you are your own boss.

No need for a high school diploma or any fancy degrees- you mostly have everything you need right in front of you. But you can get help starting your blog with our FREE Blog Boot Camp.

5. Librarian

Median Salary: $62,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 4/10

Librarians are research experts. They solve readers’ issues by finding books, films, and other media that fit their needs.

You also get to spend your days surrounded by great literature- an ideal environment for bibliophiles who enjoy reading every day.

This is practically a stress-free job! There aren’t deadlines in a librarian’s work. Your biggest concern is likely going to be finding misplaced books and reloading returned books to the shelves.

You will often need a teaching certification or Bachelor’s degree to become a librarian in a school library or a Master’s degree in library sciences to become a librarian at a public or research library.

But some research shows that librarians have good job security, and that’s definitely worth considering for the best low-stress jobs! 

6. Hairstylist

Median Salary: $30,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 3/10

Hairstylists are responsible for ensuring that customers leave salons looking their best. You won’t get stressed out by deadlines or paperwork, and you are totally in control of what clients you take on.

If you like chatting and learning about new people, this could be the perfect job for you.

You don’t need a Bachelor’s degree to become a hairstylist; a high school diploma is fine, but you do need certification from a beauty school.

7. Software Developer/Engineer

Median Salary: $110,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 7/10

Software developers are responsible for designing and creating different types of software. They work in teams but can usually set their own hours depending on their project’s needs.

Software developers have lower stress because they can choose when and where they want to work. If you’re a night owl who likes working at home, this might be your perfect career path.

You’ll typically need a Bachelor’s degree in computer science or another relevant field to become a software developer. Software development and engineering are high-paying jobs that are great for people with anxiety.

8. Computer Hardware Engineer

Median Salary: $128,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 8/10

Computer hardware engineers are responsible for designing and creating computer hardware (yay, more computer science!). This can include anything from video cards to laptop CPUs.

The only stress you have is with your actual work since you don’t interact with many people, so your stress tolerance can be plenty low as long as you can do the tech work!

This is one of the more skill-intensive jobs because you work regular hours and most of your projects don’t require a ton of creativity, but you need to have the know-how to get things done.

Hardware engineers usually work in a lab setting with a team to create products for a technology company. You need a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, but the high median salary helps make it worth it.

9. Dental Hygienist

Median Salary: $78,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 5/10

Dental hygienists are always in need, so this job has high job security for the future.

Dental hygienists are responsible for cleaning teeth, examining patients’ oral health, and taking x-rays. They also have 

This is a good job for people with anxiety in crowds because you get to work one-on-one with patients in a clean medical setting.

You actually don’t need a Bachelor’s degree to become a dental hygienist, as long as you have a high school education and can pass additional certification exams.

Being a dental hygienist is a great option if you are looking for a high-paying job with low-stress work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that dental hygienists make $37 per hour.

10. Medical Records Technician

Median Salary: $45,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 2/10

Medical records technicians are responsible for organizing and entering data into medical records. They work in all types of medical settings, and most people report stress levels below average in this career.

This is a low-stress job because you aren’t responsible for making decisions about a patient’s health or performing procedures yourself. Medical record technicians typically work regular hours and don’t have to deal directly with patients.

You don’t need a Bachelor’s degree to become a medical records technician, but you do need to pass certification exams.

11. Massage Therapist

Median Salary: $47,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 1/10

Massage therapists relieve their clients’ stress and improve their health through touch- so your stress tolerance won’t be afflicted while you help them out.

You won’t have to deal with deadlines because you take on however many clients you can handle and fit them into your timetable.

As a massage therapist, you can work part-time and set your hours. You’ll also have the least stressful work environment because most massage studios have calming music and aromatherapy.

The only formal education you need for massage therapy is certification, not a bachelor’s degree or anything from college.

12. Social Media Manager

Median Salary: $60,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 4/10

Social media managers are responsible for creating and managing social media accounts, and you can do this as a side hustle or as a full-time job.

This is a great low-stress job that doesn’t require much training if you’re already familiar with social media. All of your work is online, so this is perfect if you have anxiety related to meetings or phone calls.

Social media managers usually make $16 – $45 an hour. Higher pay is associated with advertising-related jobs where you run ads, analyze data, and make a company more money.

Learn how to run successful Facebook ads with Facebook Side Hustle.

13. Environmental Engineer

Median Salary: $97,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 8/10

Environmental engineers are responsible for creating solutions to environmental problems. They develop ways to clean up lands, keep water pure, and fix issues with hazardous waste.

This is one of the best jobs for people who like to work outside and make a difference. You might need to go into the office to write reports sometimes, but you also spend time in the field.

High-paying jobs are available at engineering companies, but the job requires a Bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, or a related field before entering this career.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, environmental engineers make $47 per hour.

14. Freelance Virtual Assistant

Median Salary: $40,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 3/10

Virtual assistants work from home and provide administrative or creative services for their clients, and you don’t need much more than a high school diploma to get started.

There are many job opportunities for virtual assistants because many businesses need help managing email and day-to-day tasks.

Being a virtual assistant is best for people with anxiety because you aren’t responsible for the business decisions, just helping it run.

You set your own hours and make a regular income while maintaining a work-life balance, plus you can make $15 – $30 an hour.

 You can learn about starting a successful career as a virtual assistant by taking this FREE course from $10K VA.

15. E-Commerce Store

Median Salary: depends on what you sell

Stress Tolerance Score: 3/10

Running an e-commerce store could be one of the least stressful jobs for people with anxiety. Starting a Shopify store can be a good way to make money fast.

You just need to list your items online, ship them when someone purchases them, and sometimes interact with customers when they have questions or concerns.

You can work from home and don’t need to wear office clothes, make presentations, or deal with the anxiety of performance reviews. You only need to decide what to sell, which can be anything from home goods to clothing to e-printables.

Learn how to increase your income by selling digital printables with your Etsy shop with this E-printables FREE ebook.

16. Web Developer

Median Salary: $77,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 6/10

If you have a computer science bachelor’s degree and information technology is one of your passions, you could consider becoming a web developer.

This is one of the best jobs for people with anxiety related to talking to people or public speaking. In this job, you can work alone and don’t need to interact with anyone face-to-face.

You’ll need some training for this job, but it’s a great option because you can work from home and set your own hours.

If you’re looking for a career with high pay and low stress, web development may be right for you. According to Labor Statistics, you could make $37 per hour as a web developer- now that’s good money in the bank for less job stress!

17. YouTube Personality

Median Salary: depends on viewership

Stress Tolerance Score: 2/10

YouTube personalities get paid to play video games and make entertaining videos. This is a great low-stress job because you don’t need to meet anyone in person; you interact with everyone virtually!

Anyone can become a YouTuber if they have creative ideas and skills at playing video games or have ideas for fun, interesting videos. You only need a decent laptop, a webcam, and a microphone.

YouTubers make income from advertisements on their videos and sponsorships with brands- some YouTubers make thousands per video, and you can make an average of $0.18 per view.

Learn how to start a profitable YouTube channel with Mastering YouTube.

18. Mathmetician

Median Salary: $93,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 4/10

If you like to work with numbers, becoming a mathematician could be the best low-stress job for you.

You’ll need to complete at least a bachelor’s degree to become a mathematician, but once you’re an expert in the field, you can apply your knowledge to many areas.

Being a mathematician is a good job if you have anxiety because you will be able to work alone. The pay is also high enough to ease any anxiety about money- $46 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics!

19. Product Development/Industrial Designers

Median Salary: $77,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 8/10

Being a product developer means working with a team to design and create new products- and making $37 per hour with your creativity.

You can use your creativity to develop products for almost anything, like toys or new technology. If you’re the type of person who is good at brainstorming, this might be for you.

You won’t have the stress of being the only person responsible for making decisions because your team will work out problems together.

20. Economist

Median Salary: $108,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 6/10

Economists work with financial data to forecast the future of the economy. Unless numbers tip the scales of your stress tolerance, you can do well just by researching numbers in this job.

That means you will be working with numbers and finding patterns that can give your company an advantage in business.

Economists typically need a Bachelor’s degree, and many get a Master’s degree as well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you could make $51 per hour as an economist. 

21. Purchasing Manager

Median Salary: $72,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 6/10 

A purchasing manager ensures that the company receives quality materials at the right price.

You’ll be responsible for acquiring supplies at the minimum possible price so the company can save money and have more profits.

This is a good job for detail-oriented people who like to ensure everything is accounted for.

Even without any bachelor’s degree, you can make $36 per hour, but you may need to take some classes or get training to learn how to negotiate contracts and meet supply quotas.

22. Landscaper

Median Salary: $70,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 5/10

If you like working outside and getting exercise, consider becoming a landscaper. According to Labor Statistics, the median salary for landscapers is almost $34 per hour.

This is one of the best jobs for people with anxiety because you don’t have to interact with people often and you will get plenty of fresh air.

Landscapers are responsible for the upkeep of gardens and lawns. The job includes a lot of physical work, but exercise and some thinking time can be great for you!

23. Computer Programmer

Median Salary: $89,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 8/10

Computer programming is a great low-stress job where you can work on computers all day long by yourself.

It does require a Bachelor’s degree, typically in computer science. but you can take online courses to learn different programming languages and computer systems without paying college tuition!

You can work from home, and you’ll work alone most of the time, only needing to interact with your coworkers over email. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports computer programmers can earn $45 per hour!

24. Data Entry Specialist

Median Salary: $36,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 3/10

This job is perfect for people with anxiety who don’t want to interact with other people and don’t have a degree in computer science.

Data entry specialists work from home and only need to focus on entering data into spreadsheets and managing databases.

The job doesn’t require a Bachelor’s degree to earn $17 per hour or more, but there are certifications you can obtain if you want to increase your marketability.

You can also expand into operations research, where you take the data and use its insights to help your company make better decisions.

25. Dietitian

Median Salary: $62,000 annual salary

Stress Tolerance Score: 5/10

This is a much lower-stress job for people with anxiety than becoming a physician or therapist, and you can still help people live healthier lives.

If you’re passionate about health and helping people, becoming a dietician could be the right job for you, where you can earn $30 an hour, according to Labor Statistics.

A dietician works with people to come up with meal plans that fit their lifestyle and health goals. As a dietician, you will recommend the types of food that your clients should eat and the ones they should avoid.

These recommendations are based on nutritional science, which you will learn when you take a Registered Dietician program and earn a bachelor’s degree.

Tips For Picking A Low-Stress Job

Figure out what you like (and don’t like) and can deal with 

Finding the least stressful jobs depends on what stresses you out and what doesn’t- your stress tolerance will affect what jobs you should be going after.

Finding a job that fits your interests and helps you manage your anxiety is important, and avoiding things that wreck your stress tolerance is key.

Our stress tolerance scores will help you navigate some lower-range options, but you also need to think of your self-interests.

What does a low-stress job look like to you? Do you need to work alone, have better job security, or never use the phone?

Thankfully, a lot of the low-stress jobs on our list are work-from-home opportunities, so you can alter your schedule and tasks to fit your stress tolerance.

Find a job that fits your criteria (work alone, work from home, etc.)

When you apply for jobs, you’re usually checking off boxes for what criteria you meet- if you’ve got the right bachelor’s degree, X years of experience, and more.

But you actually need to know what you can handle and what goes on in the job before you apply!

If you have anxiety when working with others, look for jobs that let you work on your own or in small teams. Having no desk space to yourself could be a huge deal breaker too!

Maybe you prefer not to commute, especially if you don’t have a car. In that case, you will need to search for jobs that let you work remotely.

You can find high-paying jobs that fit your tastes and keeps your stress levels low, you have to be selective.

Interview someone who does this job to learn more

It’s important to feel comfortable in a new position, but sometimes you don’t know until you’re already there that it’s a bad fit.

It reminds me of college tours- you may like them on paper, but seeing them in person can give you a whole new view!

Talk with someone who already works in the job that interests you. Get a feel for how stressful their position is and whether you think it would be enjoyable for you.

Ask them about their role, what it’s like working at their company, and whether they enjoy it.

Review Labor Statistics

We all know that to make an informed decision, you have to do the research- and by reading this article, you’ve already started!

Now that we know over 20 of the best low-stress jobs there are, you should pick your top picks and do some more due diligence.

Checking out the Bureau of Labor Statistics is the best way to get general information on any job.

If you don’t know, the labor statistics are based on data from across the country- the Bureau does all the research and analyzes how each job looks like.

For example, if I search for dental hygienists, I’ll see labor statistics like annual pay, what bachelor’s degree is needed, how many jobs were available in previous years, and other information on what they are and how to become a dental hygienist. 

Our Thoughts

There are plenty of low-stress career options that won’t cause a lot of anxiety or pressure and you can earn passive income!

We ourselves are bloggers and work with many freelancers who enjoy what they do!

Being a YouTuber, starting a low-cost business, and working with tech or software gives you flexibility and control over what you do.

It’s important to look for a job that you’ll enjoy, as this will make staying motivated and doing your best work easier.

Low-stress jobs often have straightforward tasks with minimal decision-making and responsibility. Or you may have the responsibility of the work without someone micromanaging you!

Now that you know all the options, it’s time to swap careers and start working alone in low-stress jobs.