The Top 15 High Paying Jobs Ranked By Stress

Want a high-paying job? 

I've got plenty of ideas for you.

Though be aware that most high-paying roles come at a significant cost. Often in the form of high stress, poor work-life balance, and sometimes low fulfillment.

That's why I created this comprehensive guide that not only identifies some of the highest-paying jobs, but also grades each one on its stress levels, work-life balance, and purposefulness. 

That should help you get a sense of what each job entails beyond just the income.

I'm Cara 👋 As an executive coach and former VP of HR who's worked with thousands of high-achievers, I've seen firsthand the difference between high-paying jobs that people love, and those that drain their life force.

Whether you're early in your career and mapping out your financial future, or considering a strategic pivot, this guide will help you make a decision that aligns with both your earning goals and your life priorities.

Understanding the Guide Below

In the jobs below, I included several factors to help you pick a job that best aligns with your career goals. 

Sustainability refers to how easy and stress-free a position is. 5 stars means it’s very sustainable. 1 star means it’s super stressful. 

Work-life balance refers to how much time and life outside of work the job gives room for. 5 stars means lots of personal time outside of work, 1 star means the job will eat your life. 

Purpose refers to how meaningful the job tends to feel. 5 stars means you’re making a real difference in people’s lives, in a part of their life that is meaningful to you. 1 star means that you’re not really helping people or connecting with what is meaningful and just making money.

I didn’t just pick the top 15 highest rated jobs, since most of which are medical. I tried to offer a blend of some of the most lucrative jobs in different industries in the US.

Before going into more detail, here’s a quick list of all the jobs we’ll cover. Note that the rankings of each of these jobs are general, and while there may be exceptions to the norm, if you’re looking to pursue any of the following titles, this is what you can generally expect.

Let’s get into it:

Job Title	Average Salary	Sustainability	Work-Life Balance	Purpose
Investment Banker Director	$700,000	⭐️	⭐️	⭐️⭐️
Management Consultant Partner	$432,000	⭐️	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
CEO	$814,000	⭐️	⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CHRO	$349,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Software Engineering Manager	$255,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
AI Director	$301,000	⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ethical Hacker	$166,000	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Crypto Consultant	$147,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Patent Attorney	$221,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Corporate Lawyer	$178,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️
Obstetrician / Gynecologist	$353,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Psychiatrist	$351,000	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Anesthesiologist	$520,000	⭐️	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Commercial Pilot	$185,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ship Captain	$150,000	⭐️⭐️	⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let’s go a bit deeper into each role.

🏢 High Paying Corporate Jobs

1. Investment banker 

You’ll advise big companies on how to raise capital and make major financial moves.

The job will include building financial models, negotiating big deals, and coordinating the behind-the-scenes logistics of high-stakes transactions.

Most bankers want to start their careers in New York. You’ll get a lot of prestige and a lot of money. 

But the work-life balance, frankly, couldn’t be worse. 

In the early analyst and associate years, 70-hour work weeks are standard, and even 100 isn't unheard of during busy periods. You could get called to the office at any moment. 

For context, a 100-hour work week means you’d get to the office at 9am and work straight until 11pm, 7 days of the week - and that’s if you’re not working weekends.  

While senior bankers work fewer hours, it’s still a very unpredictable and high-pressure job.

That said, one perk about investment banking is that you can easily pivot to other fields that will snatch you up (e.g., Family Office, M&A, VC). Or, after 10 years of working, you can buy a little island somewhere and retire at 40.

💰 Average salary: $180,000/year for an analyst, up to $700,000/year for a director.

🌿 Sustainability: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s degree in finance or econ + internship + start as analyst at investment bank

✅ Great job choice if: you feel motivated by high performance, financial reward, and are willing to put in gruelling hours to get started.

2.  Management consultant partner

As a partner, you’ll lead major client projects and work directly with company executives to solve complex business problems.

Networking will also be a huge part of your day-to-day. That’s because you’ll be responsible for bringing in new work. So you’ll need to stay connected with past clients, build new relationships, and spot opportunities where your firm can help. 

It’s intellectually stimulating work. You’ll learn about a wide range of companies and industries, and you’ll have a real impact on those businesses.

But it’s also a high-pressure role. You’ll make high-stakes decisions with demanding clients and travel all the time. 

💰 Average salary: $432,205

🌿 Sustainability: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s + MBA (optional) + 8–12 years consulting experience

✅ Great job choice if: you have strategic decision-making skills, want to work with executives, and aren’t fazed by constant travel.

3. Chief executive officer

You’re at the top of the company. The responsibility of every major decision, success, or failure rests on your shoulders. 

For some, this amount of pressure sounds like a nightmare. But for others, nothing could be more exciting.  

Serving as a CEO is also creative and meaningful. You get to bring a vision into reality and shape company culture. And if your company succeeds, that means you’re giving success to everyone who works with you. 

The salary varies wildly; the CEO of a Fortune 500 company might earn 10–100x more than a startup founder who is also the CEO.

💰 Average salary:: $814,307/year (based on Salary.com, but this doesn’t count equity. Plus, the salary can be far larger at big companies or far smaller if you are the founder and CEO of an early-stage startup)

🌿 Sustainability: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★★★ (5/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s + varied leadership experience + often 15+ years in the industry

✅ Great job choice if: you’re a visionary leader who wants full responsibility

4. Chief human resources officer

If you're drawn to the C-suite but don’t want the all-consuming pressure of being a CEO, Chief Human Resources Officer can be a compelling path. You’ll still face high-stakes decisions, but the role is a bit more sustainable.

It can feel meaningful to build company culture, hire talent, and develop leaders. The role is perfect for someone who has a strong mix of social intelligence and business acumen.

Though you’re also in charge of layoffs. And I can say in my own experience as a VP HR that firing people is not a fun part of the job.

💰 Average salary: $349,090/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s in HR/psychology or business + 10–15 years HR experience

✅ Great job choice if: you care deeply about culture and want to shape how organizations get the most out of their employees.

💻 High Paying Tech Jobs

5. Software engineering manager 

This is a role where you’ll need strong programming skills, people leadership skills, and project management experience. 

You’ll lead a team of engineers. And while you won’t do much coding yourself, you’ll need strong technical proficiency, because you’re responsible for guiding the team to build high-quality software and deliver it on time.

Amongst high-paying roles, this is one of the more flexible ones. You just need to make sure you like managing people, because otherwise, it could drain you over time.

And if you can manage to land a job at a big tech company, your pay will skyrocket. The median pay for this role at Google, for example, is $654k/year.

💰 Average salary:: $255,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★★☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s in Computer Science + 5–8 years of experience

✅ Great job choice if: you enjoy leading people and building technical products

6. AI director

You set the strategic direction for artificial intelligence development. You’ll work with execs, product, and engineers to align AI efforts with the company’s direction.

You’ll need deep technical fluency and a visionary mindset.

This role is exciting because it’s cutting-edge. You’re steering the newest technology.

But it’s also stressful. Because technology is in a constant state of change, you have to make big calls on expensive, hard-to-predict initiatives.

💰 Average salary: $301,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s in CS + Master’s or PhD in machine learning (optional) + 10 years experience in AI or ML roles + leadership track

✅ Great job choice if: you’re excited to shape the future of technology, and you can handle ambiguity.

7. Ethical hacker

This is a role where companies pay you to try to hack into their systems and databases and find weak spots. Your work will help your employer defend against real attackers.

It’s often a flexible, mentally engaging job, with bursts of intensity during audits or tests, followed by slower periods.

You might work for a tech company, government agency, or cybersecurity firm. And you can work full-time, freelance, or as a “bug bounty hunter” (where you only get paid if you find a bug).

💰 Average salary: $166,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★★★ (5/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Self-taught or CS degree + certifications in ethical hacking + 3–5 years of experience

✅ Great job choice if: You love solving puzzles, want work-life balance, and care about security.

8. Cryptocurrency consultant

This is a role where you help individuals and businesses on their crypto strategies. 

You’ll advise them on when to buy or sell coins, how to set up secure wallets, and how to work with the tax and regulatory landscape.

This job is essentially a 21st-century financial advisor. You’ll need to understand the cryptocurrency market, but you’ll also need social skills. Because when you’re managing someone’s wallet, you’re also managing their stresses and fears. 

You might work freelance, for a crypto-focused firm, or as part of a financial advisory team.

💰 Average salary: $147,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Finance, economics, or CS background + crypto certifications + hands-on experience trading or advising

✅ Great job choice if: You love crypto and want to help others with their money.

💼 High Paying Law Jobs

9.  Patent attorney

You’ll help companies and inventors protect their innovations from getting stolen.

It’s a fun blend of law and tech, and you’ll need fluency in both.

It’s an intellectually demanding role that often comes with tight deadlines, but compared to other legal careers like litigation or corporate law, it tends to offer more predictability and work-life balance.  

💰 Average salary: $221,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s in engineering/science + law degree + bar exam + patent bar exam

✅ Great job choice if: you’re both technically and legally minded, and want to immerse yourself in breakthrough ideas.

10. Corporate lawyer

You’ll help businesses stay out of legal trouble by giving your counsel on mergers, contracts, compliance, and high-stakes deals.

You won’t be put into intense court-room situations, but you’ll work long hours in a rigid culture with demanding clients. 

💰 Average salary: $178,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s + top law school + bar exam + start at a law firm as a junior associate in corporate law

✅ Great job choice if: you’re analytical, ambitious, and don’t mind trading long hours in exchange for prestige and pay.

🏥 High Paying Medical Jobs

11. Obstetrician and gynecologist (OBGYN)

You get to help bring life into the world and support women’s health.

This job can be incredibly meaningful. But be ready for irregular hours, on-call emergencies, and super intense and high-stakes situations.

💰 Average salary: $353,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★★★ (5/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s + 4 years med school + 4 years residency  

✅ Great job choice if: you’re passionate about women’s health and can handle high-intensity situations.

12. Psychiatrist

If you’re interested in using your interpersonal skills to help people with their mental health, then this is probably the most lucrative approach. 

You get to help people work through their emotional challenges, and you prescribe medication when needed.

It’s similar work to therapy, but it pays nearly 4x as much.

This is also one of the more sustainable and balanced job choices on the list.

💰 Average salary: $351,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★★★ (5/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s + 4 years med school + 4 years psychiatry residency

✅ Great job choice if: you’re empathetic and want to work with people 1-on-1 to navigate emotional challenges.

13. Anesthesiologist

You’re responsible for keeping patients safe and unconscious during surgery by carefully administering anesthesia and monitoring their vital signs. 

It’s an extremely high-stakes role (which is one reason it pays so well). If the patient stops breathing or their blood pressure drops, you may have just seconds to decide what to do to prevent a life-threatening emergency.

It’s also a behind-the-scenes role. While you’ll have brief interactions with the patient before and after surgery, they may never fully understand (or appreciate!) the critical role you played in keeping them safe throughout the procedure.

💰 Average salary: $520,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Bachelor’s + 4 years med school + 4 years residency 

✅ Great job choice if: You want to shoulder life-or-death responsibility and you’re meticulous.

👩‍✈️ High Paying Transportation Jobs

14. Commercial pilot

If you want a high-paying job on a less traditional educational track, then this is your best bet.

For those who are called to flying, it’s a pretty fun job. And there can be meaning in providing a safe journey for passengers.

That said, you’ll have an irregular schedule with lots of time away from home, which can put a strain on your personal life.

💰 Average salary: $185,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Commercial pilot license (1–2 years) + 1,500 flight hours + Airline Transport Pilot License + airline specific training

✅ Great job choice if: you love traveling and the idea of commanding a plane thousands of feet in the air.

15. Ship captain

This pick is a bit of a wildcard. But for those who have secretly longed for a life of adventure, and haven’t been sure how to make money doing so, then this could be a path for you.

You’ll steer large sea vessels, which can include cargo ships, tankers, and cruise ships. And you’ll be responsible for everything on board, including navigation, crew management, safety, and compliance.

There’s a lot of leadership and logistics involved. But also a lot of adventure.

Your time at sea varies dramatically by vessel type. Cruise ship captains might be away for 2-4 months with 2 months off, while cargo ship captains could spend 6-9 months at sea.  

Some love that lifestyle, and others find it nearly impossible to build a life at home.

It’s a high-responsibility role with great pay opportunities.

💰 Average salary: $150,000/year

🌿 Sustainability: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

⚖️ Work-life balance: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

❤️ Purpose: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

🏔️ Path to role: Maritime studies in university + Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) + years of experience at sea

✅ Great job choice if: You’re adventurous and comfortable leading teams, and willing to live an unanchored life.

After reading about these high-paying and unexpected career paths, you might be wondering what direction to take next—or how to chart a new course if something sparked your interest. Transitioning to a new, more rewarding role can be exciting, but it also comes with a lot of questions and decisions.

You might have a clear idea of how you want to move forward with your career. And if not, there’s always the option of reaching out for support.

Want Career Support?

If you are looking for a high-salary job, you can either climb further up your current ladder or make a career transition and start in a new direction.

But, if you feel uncertain or are exploring your options, seeking career support—such as advice from mentors, colleagues, or professional services—can help you clarify your goals and develop a practical plan to achieve them.

Or, if you’d like support figuring out what type of career path you want to pursue, you may appreciate working with a career coach. A coach can help you clarify what exactly you want out of your dream job and help you craft the steps to get there.

Exploring what you truly want from your work and how to move forward is a valuable investment, no matter where you are in your career journey.

If you’d like to try a career coach, check out our coaching plans here. We offer a range of services to meet your budget and to help you figure out what you want in your career and have an effective game plan to get there.