The Search for Meaningful Jobs

Meaningful is a term that people must define for themselves. For some, meaningful careers involve high wages that allow for an extravagant lifestyle. For others, money is less of a factor, but they want something that makes the world a better place. However, three common characteristics tend to emerge when job seekers talk about finding meaningful occupations.

• A calling: People looking for the most meaningful jobs often describe work that feels like they were meant to do that job, something that fits their unique skills and talents perfectly. The most meaningful jobs for you may be the ones that don’t feel like a job at all.
• A contribution to the world: Whether it’s helping children, the elderly, or the homeless, or helping the world in general by protecting the environment, some of the most impactful jobs are those that help others. Teaching, social work, and nursing are some of the most common fields mentioned in discussions of the most meaningful careers.
• A defined mission: Knowing exactly why you do what you do and understanding completely how it impacts the world is a common characteristic of a meaningful job. People want to feel like their work is part of something important.

To determine what is meaningful to you, think about what gives you joy and what you would do if money were no object. Perhaps there is something in your life that you already do for free because you love it. Consider whether you could turn that into a meaningful career.

Here are some of the most meaningful occupations you may wish to consider.

Teacher

Average base pay: $42,579 per year

Teaching encompasses a great many areas, from preschool teachers to college professors and adult education instructors. Some teachers find the field meaningful because they want to contribute to the next generation or just enjoy working with children and young people. Other teachers love the process of teaching someone something new.

Social worker

Average base pay: $49,450 per year

Social workers serve a variety of populations and work in hospitals, schools, and many other settings. Though many describe the field as stressful and emotionally challenging, these professionals generally describe their work as very meaningful and impactful. Social workers have a direct impact on the lives of people of all ages.

Physical therapy assistant

Average base pay: $52,418 per year

Physical therapy assistants work alongside physical therapists to help their patients recover activities of daily living such as walking and self-care after illness or injury. They also help athletes get back to the sports they love. Physical therapy assistants describe their work as meaningful because they may work with patients in clinics, at universities, and in other settings.

Optometrist

Average base pay: $117,548 per year

Optometrists help patients with glasses and other kinds of vision correction, and they help them recover from eye surgeries and injuries. These doctors find great satisfaction in the ability to directly help people improve their lives. The option to go into private practice makes a career as an optometrist one of the most meaningful jobs that also pay well.

Dentists

Average base pay: $161,018

Dentists assist patients of all ages in maintaining their oral health and building their confidence through cosmetic procedures. The vast majority of dentists express a high degree of job satisfaction. While the field is lucrative, many dentists cite their work in free clinics and missionary fields as their most meaningful tasks.

Firefighters

Average base pay: $50,770 per year

Firefighters find meaning in their work as they save people, animals, and property from fires in residential areas, businesses, and in the wilderness. Though the work of a firefighter is dangerous, making such an important difference to people is enough to outweigh the risks.

Psychologists

Average base pay: $72,661 per year

Psychologists help clients deal with mental health challenges. They may work in private practice, hospitals, or schools. Psychologists contribute positively to the world by helping people function and live productive lives.

Pediatricians

Average base pay: $171,720 per year

Pediatricians report a high level of satisfaction with their careers and find caring for children very meaningful. Whether it’s treating minor illnesses that are common in childhood or helping families deal with serious diseases, pediatricians have important personal relationships with their patients.

Orthopedic surgeons

Average base pay: $458,668 per year

Orthopedic surgeons focus on treating the bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissues of the human body. Giving patients back their ability to move freely and without pain makes a career as an orthopedic surgeon a meaningful job that also pays well.

Physical therapists

Average base pay: $73,148 per year

Physical therapists help patients learn to move without pain and regain mobility after surgery, illness, or injury. A career as a physical therapist is one of the most impactful careers because it makes such a direct and positive impact on patients’ lives.

Occupational therapists

Average base pay: $75,816 per year

Occupational therapists work with patients to help them return to work and other activities of daily living after surgery, illness, or injury. Those tasks contribute greatly to the quality of the patient’s life, so occupational therapists see the meaningful differences they make each day.

Psychiatrists

Average base pay: $214,546 per year

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who care for patients with mental health challenges and disorders of the brain. They find meaning in their work by helping with therapy, medications, and other services. Psychiatrists work in private practice, hospitals, and many other settings.

Veterinarians

Average base pay: $85,092 per year

Veterinarians take care of animals of all shapes and sizes through their work in private practices, zoos, and research laboratories. These professionals provide care to family pets, help shelters find new homes for companion animals, and help farms operate successfully. All of these meaningful tasks performed by veterinarians contribute positively to society.

Chiropractors

Average base pay: $60,025 per year

Chiropractors work with patients in need of pain relief, those seeking performance improvement in sports, and other aspects maintaining good health. The ability to improve so many aspects of life makes this a very rewarding and meaningful career for chiropractors.

Neurosurgeon

Average base pay: $563,850 per year

A neurosurgeon is a surgeon who performs procedures on the brain and spinal cord. This highly skilled field pays very well, but it’s also a deeply meaningful form of practice. Neurosurgeons help patients with brain tumors, strokes, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and more. Addressing such severe challenges makes this a rewarding career.

Dermatologists

Average base pay: $326,148 per year

Dermatologists treat disorders of the skin, from minor rashes and acne to dangerous forms of skin cancer. As a medical specialty, this is a lucrative field that brings meaningful rewards in the way it helps other people. Dermatologists may work in private practices, hospitals, and clinics.

Pharmacists

Average base pay: $125,845 per year

Pharmacists dispense medication and advise patients on the appropriate use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Their services help patients find relief from many medical conditions, major and minor, which helps pharmacists find a great deal of meaning in their work.

Dental hygienists

Average base pay: $62,027 per year

Dental hygienists assist patients by performing cleanings, x-rays, and other procedures. The work is meaningful because it helps people keep their teeth healthy and contributes to overall improved health. Dental hygienists work with patients of all ages.

Registered nurses

Average base pay: $65,870 per year

Registered nurses care for patients in hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and almost every other medical setting. The work is rewarding because registered nurses often save lives, assist with the birth of babies, and provide direct care for people.

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs)

Average base pay: $43,348 per year

Emergency medical technicians work as first responders and in hospitals providing care to patients in emergencies. They may respond to car accidents, fires, heart attacks, and other 911 calls. Caring for patients in such urgent situations is rewarding and meaningful work for EMTs.

Police officers

Average base pay: $49,667 per year

Police officers arrest people but they also serve as first responders, investigate crimes, and help citizens in dangerous situations. The ability to help people so directly makes a job as a police officer meaningful.

Neurologist

Average base pay: $168,457 per year

Neurologists are doctors who specialize in the brain, spinal cord, and other components of the nervous system. It is a meaningful branch of medicine because neurologists help people with life-threatening, life-limiting, and painful conditions to regain their quality of life.

Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)

Average base pay: $65,870 per year

CRNAs are registered nurses with special training in the administration of anesthesia. They work alongside surgeons and other physicians to care for patients during procedures. CRNAs find patient care to be a meaningful aspect of their work.

Physician assistants

Average base pay: $108,000 per year

Physician assistants serve patients in the primary care setting under the general supervision of a doctor. This service allows patients to get care with less wait for an appointment. Physician assistants are especially available in areas where physicians are scarce, making it a form of meaningful work.

Nurse practitioners

Average base pay: $110,076 per year

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced training that allows them to provide primary care services in clinics and hospitals. They are under the general supervision of a physician. Nurse practitioners find meaning in their work through their direct care of patients.

Every job has unique stressors, but for many people, the difficult parts of meaningful jobs are more bearable. When you determine what you want in a meaningful new career, let Indeed help you with your search. Already looking for a new job? Start here.