In short
Lower-stress jobs without a degree tend to have routines, set hours and little emergency work. Examples include medical records specialists, bookkeepers, sterile processing technicians, opticians, massage therapists and some inspection and maintenance roles. Pay varies; medical records specialists earned a median of $51,140 in May 2025.
Calmer jobs, ranked by pay
| # | Job | Median pay | Typical way in | Growth 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction and building inspectors (BLS) | $74,690 | High school or GED | 0% | 14,800 |
| 2 | Machinists (BLS) | $58,750 | High school or GED | 1% | 26,100 |
| 3 | Massage therapists | $58,450 | Certificate | 15.3% | 20,400 |
| 4 | Medical records specialists | $51,140 | Certificate | 7.8% | 14,000 |
| 5 | Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks | $50,670 | Some college | a decline of 5.6% | 144,100 |
| 6 | Maintenance and repair workers, general (BLS) | $49,590 | High school or GED | 4.2% | 148,700 |
| 7 | Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (BLS) | $48,570 | High school or GED | 2.5% | 66,700 |
| 8 | Medical equipment preparers | $47,700 | High school or GED | 10.8% | 10,700 |
| 9 | Veterinary technologists and technicians | $47,380 | Associate degree | 9.4% | 13,400 |
| 10 | Opticians, dispensing | $47,260 | High school or GED | 4.2% | 5,600 |
| 11 | Medical secretaries and administrative assistants | $45,930 | High school or GED | 4.8% | 89,200 |
| 12 | Skincare specialists | $45,330 | Certificate | 8.8% | 14,200 |
| 13 | Medical transcriptionists (BLS) | $40,410 | Certificate | a decline of 4.4% | 6,200 |
| 14 | Receptionists and information clerks (BLS) | $38,010 | High school or GED | a decline of 1.7% | 105,100 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 (Table 1.2), May 2025 median wages, retrieved 2026-10-09. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or switch fields.
How we chose them
We picked jobs whose BLS descriptions emphasize routine tasks, regular schedules and limited emergency response. Stress is personal: an introvert may find a busy front desk draining, while someone else finds desk work dull. Use this as a start, then ask people who do the job.
Questions people ask
What is the least stressful job that pays well?
Construction and building inspectors and medical records specialists combine decent pay with predictable work.
Are remote jobs less stressful?
Not always. Remote work removes the commute but can add isolation.
Is healthcare always stressful?
No. Behind-the-scenes roles like coding and sterile processing are calmer than bedside work.