7 Highest-Paying Careers in Which You Can Work Less and Earn More

According to research from Gettysburg College, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime. According to Zippia, America’s average of hours worked per day is a solid 8.5 hours, while the weekend days average 5.4 hours of work. This is a lot of work!

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It’s no surprise that Americans are increasingly asking for better work-life balance, and it all makes you wonder what types of careers are out there that pay well without making you dedicate most of your waking hours to the job. So here we’ll look at some of the highest paying careers that enable you to work less and earn more.

Keep in mind that it’s difficult to assess with certainty exactly how many hours you’ll need to devote to these careers, and it’s virtually impossible to say how much vacation and other benefits you’ll get, as those factors largely depend on the company. Also note that pay can (and likely will) fluctuate widely based on your location. But with that in mind, let’s explore.

Dental Hygienist

Average salary: $81,182, according to Salary.com

According to Indeed, a dental hygienist works a full eight-hour day — but typically only three to four days a week. In general, they’re expected to spend an hour per patient. And you may not always need to be in the office. Some dental hygienists work in nursing homes or hospitals. Education needed is an associate’s degree, which takes about 16 months to complete.

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Web Developer

Average salary: $87,739, according to ZipRecruiter

Though most web developers are employed full-time at 40 hours a week, there can be some flexibility. According to Zippia, there are over 127,524 freelance web developers currently employed in the U.S. It is possible to become a web developer without any formal degree.

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Interpreter and Translator

Average Salary: $49,110, according to U.S. News & World Report

Typically a bachelor’s degree is required to become an interpreter and translator, but you can potentially go far in this career. It’s estimated that job prospects for interpreters and translators will grow by 42% in the next decade, according to CareerProfiles. Most of these professionals work a normal 40 hours a week, but there could be wiggle room if you opt for freelance.

Plumber

Average salary: $58,500, according to Talent.com

The idea of becoming a plumber may not seem terribly romantic, but it can be a lucrative career. You only need a high school degree or GED to get started, and because you can grow to the point of starting your own business, you could easily set your own hours and client list

Real Estate Agent

Average salary: $96,629, according to Indeed

You may not wind up on “Selling Sunset” selling bajillion dollar homes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a killing as a Realtor. Another great perk with this totally flexible job is that you only need a real estate license to land the gig.

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Public Relations Manager

Average salary: $119,136, according to Salary.com

Though you could easily work a ton of hours as a public relations manager, you could also take a more relaxed approach and do it on your own terms and by working as a freelancer. This career does require more education than some of the others listed here, however. A bachelor’s degree is generally needed, along with years of experience.

Professor

Average salary: $110,302, according to Salary.com

Make no mistake: professors can pour in a lot of hours to their job — and many of them do. But you can also get to the point in this career where you set your own office hours, select classes you want to instruct and possibly even take summers off, depending on your place of employment.

Plus, becoming a tenured professor is a pretty sweet deal! The downside is that usually a masters or even a doctorate degree in the field of your expertise is required, and that can take a lot of time to achieve.

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