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Americans only get an average of 14 days off annually, according to a 2010 Expedia.com poll [source: Expedia]. However, what if your job made every day feel like a vacation? Some individuals have the good fortune to engage in professions that offer both financial rewards and enjoyment during their work hours. For instance, astronauts can make between $65,000 and $100,000 a year during their careers, whereas video game designers may make $50,000 or more immediately out of college.
However, many people who work in enjoyable occupations are fortunate to earn the federal minimum wage. If you’re looking for a career where the experience is more important than the compensation, browse through our list of five enjoyable occupations.
5: Dealer in Gaming
The lights and crowds of a high-end casino have a really exciting quality. At the heart of this thrill are the dealers, who can transform a table into a joyful celebration or a destitute defeat with a single card flip. They are in charge of running the table games, dealing out cards, paying out prizes, and retrieving chips or cash from players.
Gambling dealers can put a lot of money in other people’s pockets, but they probably won’t put much in their own. In 2010, 85,430 Americans worked in this position, with an average yearly pay of only $21,820, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nevada, the state most closely associated with gambling, has significantly lower wages, averaging only $17,010 annually.
People often say that “the house always wins.” However, as a dealer, you could not make much money.
- Photographer
Traveling to far-flung locations to capture images is one benefit of photography.
Many individuals find photography to be a calming pastime, and they frequently engage in it while on vacation. However, there are many who genuinely earn a living by taking photographs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that in 2010, the sector employed 54,550 Americans as freelance, studio, commercial, industrial, scientific, journalistic, fine art, or portrait photographers.
Photographers typically earn an average annual salary of $35,980, but salaried employees, many of whom work full-time, inflate this figure. Because they must pay for their own expenses, such as travel and equipment purchases and maintenance, self-employed freelance photographers typically earn less money each year and are less predictable about it. Therefore, if money is no object, act quickly!
- The Ski Patrol
Ski resorts are popular destinations for vacationers, but what if you were employed as a skier? Every significant winter recreation location employs a ski patrol, whose members break new snow, monitor mountain activity, and assist injured or disoriented visitors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups ski patrol in with lifeguards and other recreational protective service personnel, making it difficult to pinpoint the precise number of people that work this job each winter. But according to the agency, 6,530 people work in the ski-friendly states of Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming in this category.
Ski patrollers make little money despite working in some of the US’s most beautiful places. In the four states listed above, the average yearly compensation for these individuals is only $20,010 [source: BLS]. However, there is typically one significant benefit to this job: you can ski as much as you want for free.
Is happiness more important than money?
Even if a fun job paid less, would you still take it? A 2010 report by the Conference Board research group found that Americans are only 45 percent pleased with their jobs, compared to 61 percent in 1987, when the survey was originally conducted. [source: CBS News].
- Bartender
Although it’s a terrific way to meet people, bartending isn’t very profitable unless you do it as a second career.
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Cocktail bartending isn’t like drinking, but a lively crowd and funny customers can make it fun. You can serve as a friend to your patrons on joyful and sad occasions, in addition to accepting drink orders and showcasing your impressive pouring abilities. If bartending is your preferred career path, there are numerous jobs available; the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 495,350 Americans work as bartenders.
The salary may be the worst thing about providing alcohol. With an average yearly salary of about $21,310, bartenders make enough money to make you want to drink. [source: BLS].
1: Long-Term Learner
Many people have positive memories of their time in college. Some choose to prolong their courses or return for additional degrees because the combination of lifelong friends, wild parties, and thought-provoking classes is so delightful that they never want to leave. The down economy has strengthened this trend, with workers frequently opting to return to school instead of enduring the challenging job market.
