13 Most Stressful Jobs of 2025

It’s no secret that nowadays, workplace stress is a significant reason as to why people become burnt out and can eventually develop mental and physical health challenges over time. Research shows that workplace stress has continued to increase amongst employed adults over the last few decades, with 52% of people saying they’ve experienced burnout due to their work.

Many have also said that this type of stress can impact other aspects at work, like their performance, relationships with their boss and coworkers, and the overall quality of work that they do. Having stress to this degree has also been shown to have negative effects outside of the workplace, namely in interpersonal relationships.

Economic uncertainty and the increased cost of living have also contributed to why people may feel stressed at work. These days, many are faced with unexpected layoffs, difficulty in getting hired for a new role, and having to pay higher rent, mortgage, and grocery bills. These factors can exacerbate stress levels due to a lingering pressure of needing to maintain a job, even if the work is stressful or the environment isn’t healthy.

In some industries, where precision and quick response times are key, there is no room for errors. That’s why those working in these fields must be able to manage their stress levels so they can do their job well and protect the safety of themselves, their co-workers, and those who need help.

If you want to learn more about some of the most stressful jobs that are out there today, keep reading below.

Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $132,000 per year

Nurse practitioners are responsible for diagnosing and treating patients for common illnesses and minor bodily injuries like colds, the flu, sprains, and cuts. They work with doctors in busy medical facilities like hospitals, private practices, and emergency rooms to help treat patients. Nurses can see dozens of patients per day and can work long shifts, sometimes a minimum of 12 hours per day. They may also be required to work on weekends and during the holidays in case patients have emergencies, and may even have to fill in for other absent nurses during their shift.

Nurses are also able to prescribe certain medications in some states, so they need to be able to understand and diagnose a patient’s symptoms accurately in order to provide proper treatment. Not doing so can have grave and sometimes irreversible effects on a patient’s life and put their own job and life in jeopardy, so they need to make sure they’re spot-on with their evaluations.

Outside of treating patients and writing prescriptions, nurse practitioners must also maintain detailed medical records of all their patients. This means that they must accurately record all of their patients’ information, reason for treatment, previous medical history, current and past prescriptions, as well as correctly document any lab and X-ray results.

Surgeon

Average Salary: $239,000 per year

Like doctors and nurses, surgeons are also required to maintain accurate patient records at all times since they also perform operations. People go to surgeons for various medical procedures like biopsies, reconstructive surgery, cardiovascular reasons, and any aesthetic enhancements. People trust surgeons to cater to their medical needs, and surgeons must be precise when doing these procedures.

Surgeons need to be able to properly evaluate patients and review their entire medical history before doing procedures. During an operation, surgeons must know exactly what they’re doing, record all procedures from start to finish, and document the results so they do not jeopardize their patients’ lives. These procedures also require surgeons to work extensive hours, and they may have to be on call if they work in a hospital setting or if a patient experiences an unexpected medical emergency after undergoing surgery due to EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) laws.

Dentist/Orthodontist

Average Salary: $179,900 per year for Dentists, $238,000 for Orthodontists

Dentists and orthodontists see patients in order to diagnose and treat their oral-related needs. People go to the dentist for routine checkups and teeth cleanings, as well as for other treatments like root canals, fillings, and extractions. And people go to orthodontists to improve the structure of their teeth by getting braces, retainers, or Invisalign, which can either be medically necessary due to unhealthy overbites or for aesthetic reasons.

Both dentists and orthodontists are required to accurately evaluate their patients and carefully listen to their needs and pain points before starting to treat them. They’re also liable for creating a proper treatment plan that’s unique to each patient and must record and maintain their patients’ medical history.

As part of their job, dentists can administer anesthesia for certain procedures, such as when filling a cavity or pulling wisdom teeth. Anesthesia must be administered correctly for their patient’s health and safety during and after the procedure.

Dentists and orthodontists must also properly educate their patients during each visit before sending them home. This applies to cases when there are actions patients need to take after they leave, such as knowing what foods to avoid after getting dental work done, how to use, treat, and maintain their braces or Invisalign, and what to do if they experience any complications or emergencies.

Attorney

Average Salary: $151,000 per year

Attorneys need to be able to defend their clients in a court of law successfully. Part of being an attorney or lawyer means that they need to understand the law and legally apply it to the cases they work on so that it also works in their client’s favor. The job of an attorney never stops. They work long hours to prepare for trial by meeting with clients to understand their cases, drafting formal documents and legal proceedings for the case or as ordered by a court, and doing in-depth research on similar cases and court decisions that can have an impact on their client.

Attorneys are also held accountable for meeting all court-related deadlines, like filing and responding to motions and submitting evidence on behalf of their client, and responding to the opposing party. During trial, this type of schedule continues since they need to present for the entire case, meet with their clients to go over any trial proceedings, and communicate legal strategies with other attorneys if they work in a law firm and have multiple lawyers handling one case.

After trial, attorneys need to review the outcome of the case, regardless if their client won or lost, file any required post-trial legal documents, meet with opposing counsel to discuss and negotiate settlements on behalf of their client for civil cases, and keep track of and properly store all trial records.

Judge

Average Salary: $135,000 per year

Judges preside over both civil and criminal cases, and make sure that all parties are following the law and adhering to orderly court conduct during trial. Judges must also work many hours and can often work multiple cases at one time. Because of this, they need to have working knowledge of each case and keep accurate records of each one so they can preside over their cases correctly.

Mentally, being a judge can be stressful. They must carry the heavy weight of handing down sentences while following the law and avoiding bias. Judges must take into account all the facts of the case, rely on their legal knowledge, which must be accurately referenced, and make a final decision based on these factors.

Police Officer

Average Salary: $77,000 per year

Every day, police officers put their lives at risk to do their job. They’re tasked with responding to calls to help people in need, and they must have a fast response time and good judgment in each unique situation. Police officers are responsible for making arrests, investigating suspects, and may be required to testify in court depending on the case. In that case, they must spend time properly documenting all the facts of a case so that they can give an accurate sworn testimony.

Due to the nature of their work, police officers must work long shifts, which can carry over into late nights, weekends, and holidays. They may also be on-call to respond to any emergencies. As part of their job, they must also undergo rigorous training, including strength, fitness, firearms, and self-defense training, and know how to do first aid in some states and cities.

Firefighter

Average Salary: $60,000 per year

Similar to police officers, firefighters must also be on call and respond to life-threatening situations by arriving at the scene of a fire, extinguishing it in time, and saving people’s lives. Because of their job, they’re also putting themselves at risk every day when they go to work.

While at the scene, they may need to perform first aid and CPR for injured victims and work alongside paramedics and first responders to make sure victims are transported to the hospital in time. Like police officers, firefighters must also do strict training related to fire safety and management, responsiveness, how to safely rescue those caught in a fire, and how to handle potentially harmful or hazardous materials.

Paramedic

Average Salary: $57,000

Paramedics are also in the line of work that deals with public safety. They’re responsible for responding to medical emergencies due to life-threatening situations like car accidents, accidental injuries, onset of heart attacks, and more. Paramedics must have good decision-making skills since the situations they handle are a matter of life and death.

While at the scene, paramedics are also in charge of evaluating people quickly by taking their vitals and recording symptoms to determine what care they need. Paramedics may also need to know how to perform CPR and give certain medications on-site, which are administered either under standing protocol orders or with real-time approval from an emergency physician.

Teacher

Average Salary (All Levels): $67,000 per year

At all levels of the education system, teachers are responsible for managing different classes while providing the best education to their students. Every semester or calendar year, teachers have to create unique lesson plans that they must follow throughout the year, in addition to drafting lesson plans for state-mandated tests like the SAT and ACT.

They must also show up to work early every day before school starts so they can prepare schedules for their classes. Being a teacher also means that they dedicate time outside of school hours to get their work done. Sometimes, they must also allot time to grading students’ assignments and set times to meet with students and parents regarding their class performance.

Social Worker

Average Salary: $61,000 per year

Social workers usually work for their state’s social services department or via a school or a non-profit organization. They’re required to meet with the clients they’re assigned to to understand and provide solutions for their clients’ needs and challenges. Social workers often manage heavy caseloads and meet with many people, and may be required to travel to their clients’ homes regularly to monitor their progress.

In their line of work, social workers may also handle complex situations that require them to have patience, use discernment, and have good communication skills. In some cases, they may also need to coordinate with service providers like doctors, therapists, and psychologists, police, attorneys, and teachers. They may also need to be a part of legal proceedings, depending on the severity of the case, and be ready to testify as part of any court-related matters.

Before officially becoming a social worker, they must dedicate a lot of time, effort, and resources to obtain and maintain their license. They must complete and get their Master’s degree since it’s required in some states to become licensed, and if they specifically want to become a clinical social worker. They also have to do 2,000 to 4,000 hours of supervised clinical work post-graduation. They must also pass an in-depth licensing exam in the state where they’ll be working.

CEO

Average Salary: $258,000 per year

Since they’re in a leadership position, CEOs have a major responsibility in overseeing and maintaining the operations and success of the company they run. CEOs keep a very busy schedule that usually starts early in the morning and ends late at night. Their schedule also consists of meeting with stakeholders, partners, board members, and other C-suite executives.

CEOs may also have to work on the weekends and during the holidays to make sure that any important business matters don’t fall by the wayside. CEOs must also deal with stressful and complex situations like company restructurings, laying off employees, going through mergers and acquisitions, and public scandals. CEOs are also under a lot of pressure to make sure they’re running their company successfully because they themselves can be ousted from their position if their performance isn’t up to par.

Truck Driver

Average Salary: $57,000 per year

Between meeting transportation deadlines, strict delivery schedules, mapping out routes, and making sure they reach their destination safely and on time, truck drivers have a lot to handle. Truck drivers need to be able to travel long distances and spend time away from their families to do their job.

Truck drivers must also make sure that the goods they’re transporting remain safe at all times and follow state and federal safety and security guidelines, especially when it comes to certain items like electrical goods and food.While on the road, truck drivers must remain in constant contact with dispatchers to provide real-time updates in case of an emergency, unexpected route changes, and delivery schedule changes. They must also maintain accurate records of all their deliveries and mileage reports, and follow all traffic laws for the safety of themselves and other drivers on the road.

Pilot

Average Salary: $226,000 per year

Pilots have to make sure that the safety of themselves, their co-pilots, flight attendants, and those traveling is adhered to at all times. They must be ready for unexpected emergencies and mechanical failures, changes in weather during lift-off and when they arrive at their destinations, and passengers who suddenly need immediate medical treatment. Pilots must also review and maintain all pre-flight plans, flight hours, and monitor any maintenance and mechanical issues that arise.

Throughout the duration of a flight and in times of an emergency, pilots must also be in constant communication with air traffic control so that they can receive instructions when taking off and landing, as well as provide general updates and address any emergency concerns. Because pilots travel and make flights across the country and throughout the world, they have long workdays and must be able to keep laser-sharp focus at all times.