In collecting their data, Glassdoor asked respondents to describe their satisfaction with their job’s work-life balance on a scale of 1 to 5, where a rating of “1” would suggest that the respondent is very dissatisfied, a “3” means the balance is alright, and a “5” translates to very satisfied. On average, Glassdoor users in 2015 seem less satisfied overall than they have in years past — whereas workers averaged a 3.5 in 2009 and a 3.4 in 2012, thus far, the average score is a 3.2.
But rising above the rest are the following 25 jobs, many of which are, unsurprisingly, in the tech sector.
1. Data Scientist
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.2
- Salary: $114,808
- Number of Job Openings: 1,315
2. SEO Manager
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.1
- Salary: $45,720
- Number of Job Openings: 338
3. Talent Acquisition Specialist
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
- Salary: $63,504
- Number of Job Openings: 1,171
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
- Salary: $40,000
- Number of Job Openings: 661
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.9
- Salary: $24,380
- Number of Job Openings: 590
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.9
- Salary: $44,700
- Number of Job Openings: 446
7. UX Designer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.9
- Salary: $91,440
- Number of Job Openings: 338
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.9
- Salary: $70,052
- Number of Job Openings: 640
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $32,512
- Number of Job Openings: 384
10. Web Developer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $66,040
- Number of Job Openings: 2,117
11. Risk Analyst
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $69,088
- Number of Job Openings: 208
12. Civil Engineer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $65,532
- Number of Job Openings: 809
13. Client Manager
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $71,120
- Number of Job Openings: 503
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $66,040
- Number of Job Openings: 782
15. Marketing Analyst
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $60,000
- Number of Job Openings: 341
16. Software QA Engineer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $91,440
- Number of Job Openings: 457
17. Web Designer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $53,848
- Number of Job Openings: 500
18. Research Technician
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.8
- Salary: $36,525
- Number of Job Openings: 299
19. Program Analyst
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $71,120
- Number of Job Openings: 524
20. Data Analyst
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $58,928
- Number of Job Openings: 1,954
21. Content Manager
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $60,960
- Number of Job Openings: 409
22. Solutions Engineer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $92,456
- Number of Job Openings: 652
23. Lab Assistant
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $27,550
- Number of Job Openings: 779
24. Software Developer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $80,000
- Number of Job Openings: 3,330
25. Front End Developer
- Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.7
- Salary: $75,000
- Number of Job Openings: 1337
The prevalence of technology on the list may be due to the laid-back culture of the startup and technology work scene, as well as the generally high pay, flexible hours, and standard free lunch that comes with the package in many of the Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley jobs. But it’s certainly worth noting that work-life balance doesn’t necessarily correlate with a higher salary — seven out of the 25 jobs listed have an average salary of under $50,000, suggesting that money really can’t buy happiness.
In any case, if you’re looking to get out of long hours or a miserable environment, this list may be a good place to start your new search (and find your next job).
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