Professor ranked as one of the least stressful jobs
Inside Higher Ed has a report on an annual work survey which again names Professor as a low-stress job.
This year’s report ranks university professor the No. 4 least-stressful job, behind audiologist, hair stylist and jeweler. Seamstress/tailor, dietician, medical records technician, librarian, multimedia artist and drill press operator round out the top 10 least stressful jobs. The No. 1 most stressful job is enlisted member of the military, followed by military general. Unlike last year – when adjunct professors pointed out that uncertain employment and low per-course pay were particularly stressful aspects of their jobs – the ranking notes that it refers specifically to tenured professors.
The 11 factors considered for each of the 200 careers reviewed are as follows:
- Travel (the more travel, the higher the stress)
- Growth potential (dead-end jobs tend to create more stress)
- Deadlines
- Working in the public eye
- Competitiveness within the organization
- Physical demands
- Environmental conditions
- Own life at risk
- Hazards encountered
- Meeting the public
- Life of another is at risk
Given the criteria used it is perhaps not that surprising a result. However, it does not feel remotely accurate or seem at all like the other “low-stress” jobs ranked with it. Whilst academia is a long way from the most stressful jobs in front-line military roles the ranking here doesn’t quite seem to capture the realities of what can be highly challenging work.
