10 most stressful jobs

Stress at work is unavoidable and despite their best efforts against it, a majority of Americans feel unduly stressed at their jobs.

Indeed, 78% of respondents to a CareerCast study on the issue put their stress level at a seven or higher on a 10-point scale. That’s a jump from the 2017 CareerCast stress survey in which 69% of respondents put their work stress level at a seven or higher.

Many clients in these highly stressed industries have an opportunity to beef up their benefits packages and wellness programs in an effort to retain talent.

The CareerCast report ranks the most stressful jobs of 2019 by totaling 11 different job demands, which can reasonably be expected to evoke stress, and associated point ranges for each stressor. Those include:

Travel, 0-10
Growth potential (income divided by 100)
Physical demands (stoop, climb, etc.), 0-14
Conditions, 0-13
Hazards encountered, 0-5
Meeting the public, 0-8
Competitiveness, 0-15
Risk of death, 0-8
Life of another at risk, 0-10
Deadlines, 0-9
Working in the public-eye, 0-5

When computing a score for each occupation, points were added together for all 11 categories.

According to the report, here are the 10 most stressful jobs of 2019.

10. Enlisted military.jpg

Enlisted military personnel

Annual median salary: $26,802
Growth outlook: n/a
CareerCast stress score: 72.6
1. Firefighter.jpg

Firefighter

Annual median salary: $49,080
Growth outlook: 7%
CareerCast stress score: 72.4
Airline.Pilot.Bloomberg.2.21.18.jpg
The silhouette of a traveler is seen at the American Airlines Group Inc. terminal of Miami International Airport (MIA) in Miami, Florida, U.S. Photographer: Mark Elias/Bloomberg

Airline Pilot

Annual median salary: $111,930
Growth outlook: 4%
CareerCast stress score: 61.2
NYPD.Bloomberg.jpg
A pedestrian walks past New York Police Department (NYPD) officers on patrol in the Times Square area of New York, U.S., on Monday, Jan. 5, 2015. The New York City Police Department redeployed officers in response to an attack at the Paris offices of a French weekly magazine, in what has become a regular step for the largest U.S. city following terrorist attacks in other parts of the world. Photographer: Craig Warga/Bloomberg

Police officer

Annual median salary: $62,960
Growth outlook: 7%
CareerCast stress score: 51.9

Broadcaster

Annual median salary: $62,960
Growth outlook: 0%
CareerCast stress score: 51.3

Event coordinator

Annual median salary: $48,290
Growth outlook: 11%
CareerCast stress score: 51.2

News reporter

Annual median salary: $39,370
Growth outlook: -10%
CareerCast stress score: 49.9

Public relations executive

Annual median salary: $111,280
Growth outlook: 10%
CareerCast stress score: 49.5

Senior corporate executive

Annual median salary: $104,700
Growth outlook: 8%
CareerCast stress score: 48.9
2. Taxi.jpg

Taxi Driver

Annual median salary: $24,880
Growth outlook: 5%
CareerCast stress score: 48.2
This article originally appeared in Employee Benefit News.
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