Having a fun job that pays well may seem as rare as leprechauns and unicorns but there are many out there. While no job is sunshine and rainbows all the time, there are certainly some that are more fun than others.
If you’re someone who wants to have fun at work while being paid well, you’re in luck. We have 40 jobs that pay well for you to start on your job hunt.
Key Takeaways:
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The top three jobs that pay well include engineer, meteorologist, and music therapist.
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Some jobs will pay better than others and require a different amount of schooling.
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Everyone will have a different definition of what fun is, so don’t listen to anything negative others may say about your job.
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Sometimes it might take a few jobs to figure out what you find fun, but don’t stop looking until you find it.
40 Fun jobs that also pay well
While some of these jobs pay better than others, especially if you’re just starting out, the ones on this list all have the opportunity for a generous paycheck:
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Design Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $76,000If you’re interested in improving processes and turning products from a plan to reality, being a design engineer might be a fun job for you. This is a great position if you love research and innovation and want to see your discoveries and projects come alive.
Design engineers often build their careers around traveling and interacting with people. You will typically work regular workdays but there is a chance that you could work on weekends or holidays if the job requires it.
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Environmental Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $75,718A career as an environmental engineer is perfect for anyone who loves science, is passionate about caring for the earth, and wants to create practical ways to do so.
Environmental engineers strive to create solutions for environmental problems created by pollution and the exploitation of natural resources. You need to have a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a related field. Getting a certification as a Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) will help you to earn more as an environmental engineer.
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Civil Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $70,000Becoming a civil engineer is the perfect job for someone who has a passion for designing and creating this. Civil engineers are the ones who make bridges, buildings, dams, and other parts of cities’ infrastructures operational and stable.
This can be a fun job because you are responsible for the design, construction, repair and maintenance of both human-made and naturally occurring structures found. To qualify for this position, you need to have a bachelors degree in a related field and getting a certification as a Engineer In Training Certification (EIT).
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Robotics Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $101,208If a career full of designing, manufacturing, and improving robotic machines sounds like a blast to you, look into robotics engineering. Robotics engineers design prototypes, build and test machines, and maintain the software that controls them.
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Meteorologist
Average Annual Salary: $68,815Becoming a meteorologist may be the perfect job for you if the weather fascinates you and you love science. There is a lot more to meteorology than standing in front of a camera and talking about the temperature.
This can be a fun job because you not only get to be on TV every day, but you get to predict the weather. Depending on where you live, you may also become a storm chaser and seek out wild weather like hurricanes or tornados.
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Biological Technician
Average Annual Salary: $43,572Biological Technician can be a fun job because you have the best of both worlds as far as science-based career paths go. You don’t need as much education as a full-fledged biologist, but you still get to be in the lab assisting scientists.
A biological technician is responsible for executing laboratory duties and ensuring smooth running and precision. Your tasks mainly focus on collating and readying samples, utilizing lab devices, and carrying out experiments and evaluations.
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Creative Art Therapist
Average Annual Salary: $51,418Being a creative art therapist can be a fun job because you get to use your art skills to help patients maintain or improve their physical, social, or emotional well-being. In this position, you’ll get to combine psychology and art to help teach people how to process their emotions and express themselves.
Recreational therapists typically need a bachelor’s degree. Many employers require therapists to be certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).
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Music Therapist
Average Annual Salary: $57,096If you love music and want to use it along with psychology to help heal others with the relaxation of music, becoming a music therapist is the perfect position for you.
In a nutshell, music therapy uses music to gauge a client’s mental health in various areas and then help them improve it. Key skills needed for this job include empathy, sensitivity, and creativity.
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Real Estate Appraiser
Average Annual Salary: $54,616As a real estate appraiser, you’d get to look at other people’s houses and buildings to tell them what they’re worth for a living. This can be a fun position for you if you like assessing and judging others’ homes.
You typically need a bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, real estate law, or a related field. The minimum requirements for appraiser licenses are on the Appraiser Qualification Board’s (ABQ) official website.
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Antique Appraiser
Average Annual Salary: N/AIf you enjoy learning about and looking at items from long ago, becoming an antique appraiser may be an ideal career for you. While most antique appraisers earn a little over $30,000 a year at first, some of the more experienced ones make over $70,000 each year.
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Personal Shopper
Average Annual Salary: $32,875Being a personal shopper is a fun job because what could be better than going shopping and spending someone else’s money for a living? As a personal shopper, you could do this – you just can’t keep the items you purchase, unfortunately.
This job does require excellent customer service skills, a keen eye for detail, and good knowledge of the market and industry you are working in.
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Wardrobe Stylist
Average Annual Salary: $38,080Also called a fashion stylist, a wardrobe stylist can do anything involving creating outfits, whether it’s choosing the clothing worn in a magazine or music video or selecting an ensemble for a celebrity or model to wear.
This is a fun job and is perfect for anyone who loves fashion and creating new outfits and fashion trends.
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Cryptographer
Average Annual Salary: N/AIf you love computers and coding, being a cryptographer might be a fun occupation for you. In this position, you’d get to encrypt and decrypt information to keep your employer’s computer systems secure. These jobs typically pay $55,000 to $180,000 a year.
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Ethical Computer Hacker
Average Annual Salary: N/ADid you know that it’s possible to put your hacking skills to use in a positive way? Well, you can, and organizations are willing to pay handsomely for you to find and fix any security weaknesses in their systems. The average salary for an ethical hacker, or a white-hat hacker as they’re often called, is $99,000 a year.
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Video Game Designer
Average Annual Salary: $95,185This can be a fun and amazing position for you if you’re naturally a very creative person who enjoys creating worlds and challenges and working on computers.
In this position, come common responsibilities include brainstorming new game ideas hat would engage an audience and then outline the games concept and the overall game experience.
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Web Developer
Average Annual Salary: $72,000With websites becoming a necessity for businesses of all sizes, web developers are in high demand. In this job, you’ll design, build, and optimize websites, whether you do so full-time for one company or as freelance work for many organizations.
This is one of the fastest-growing occupations, which means there will likely be plenty of job openings for you to choose from in the future.
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Technical Support Specialist
Average Annual Salary: $61,000Working as a technical support specialist can be a fun and exciting job if you enjoy learning about and using technology and helping people solve problems. In this position, you would identify and troubleshoot IT issues. You may also be responsible for the installment, customization, and repair of hardware and software.
You typically need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or business. Getting a Security 5 Certification can help you be more successful in this position.
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Software Developer
Average Annual Salary: $80,000Software developer jobs are fun because you’ll get to put your computer skills to use creating and optimizing programs that allow people to solve problems, make creative projects, or just make their lives easier.
When you work as a software developer, you meet with clients and update them on the progress of the project. You rarely work alone in this position and often work with other teams to review and fix code.
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Marine Biologist
Average Annual Salary: $61,804If you’re someone who love sea animals, science, and the water, becoming a marine biologist is the perfect position for you. Not only is this position fun but you will study ocean animals for a living can take you to work in aquariums, zoos, and research facilities.
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Park Ranger
Average Annual Salary: $43,000Many career park rangers are foresters and conservation scientists. This can be a fun job because you get to spend your time outdoors in some of the most beautiful places in the country.
Park rangers are integral to the United States National Park System and they help provide services to the public. If you’re someone who loves the outdoors and wants to help protect and preserve national parks, this is the perfect position for you.
You can even start working in this field as a volunteer to see if you like it.
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Veterinarian
Average Annual Salary: $126,000Just like any medical profession, becoming a veterinarian takes years of hard work, but it can allow you to work with all types of animals for a living. This can be a fun position if you love interacting with all different kinds of animals.
You typically need a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine or biology and have excellent communication skills, compassion, and decision-making skills to be successful.
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Industrial Designer
Average Annual Salary: $66,000If you notice when a pair of scissors fit your hand just right or a packaging design that didn’t make you want to throw it across the room in frustration, you have an industrial designer to thank for that.
Industrial designers are responsible for making products such as furniture, cars, home appliances, and toys. This can be a fun job for you if you want to put your problem-solving and decision-making skills to the test when creating new designs.
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Interior Designer
Average Annual Salary: $54,000A career in interior design will always bring new challenges and new opportunities for hands-on creativity. You can work on houses or industrial buildings and choose to work for a company or yourself.
This can be a fun job because you get to be creative and design functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces for clients. If you’re looking for the challenge of balancing an artistic vision with practical considerations, this is the perfect job for you.
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Landscape Architect
Average Annual Salary: $52,379Becoming a landscape architect is the perfect job for you if you love to create new landscapes and have an eye for detail. In this position, you will be able to combine your practical and artistic skills to ensure the landscape is functional as well as beautiful.
Put your design talents to work creating stunning outdoor retreats for backyards, resorts, and businesses.
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Architect
Average Annual Salary: $75,000Combine form and function to create beautiful and usable buildings for people to live, work, and play in. This is where engineering meets art, so it’s an excellent option for those who are both left- and right-brained. This can be a fun job for anyone who loves the structure and designs of buildings.
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Toy Designer
Average Annual Salary: $42,809The definition of a “fun job” – creating new toys is a real career you could have. Like an industrial designer, you’ll need to have creative, technical, and problem-solving skills to succeed in this field.
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Nutritionist
Average Annual Salary: $49,000Combine science, health, and helping others by becoming a nutritionist. Whether you want to focus on helping people change their unhealthy lifestyles or combat health problems with their diet, being a nutritionist can be an interesting and fulfilling occupation.
This could also be a great option if you’re a nurse looking for a career change because you already have a basic understanding of how to help the human body be at its best.
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Personal Trainer
Average Annual Salary: $38,000Becoming a personal trainer is a great job if you’re passionate about fitness, want to help people, and would rather not have a desk job. Plus, you can do it as part-time work or as a full-time job.
To become a personal trainer, you typically need a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as kinesiology. Getting a Certified Personal Trainer certification can help you be more successful in this field.
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Airline Pilot
Average Annual Salary: $67,000If you love to travel and don’t mind days and weeks away from home, becoming an airline pilot can be a fascinating and rewarding job. This can be a fun job because you get to travel around and meet new people every day.
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Resort Manager
Average Annual Salary: $59,000While managing a resort may mean interacting with some difficult guests, it also means you live and work in some of the world’s most beautiful and sought-after locations. This can be a fun job if you love interacting with new people daily and putting your communication and customer service skills to use.
You typically need a bachelor’s degree in business or hospitality management. You may make more or less depending on your experience and where you work.
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Cruise Director
Average Annual Salary: $43,237As a cruise director, you can put your hospitality, administration, customer service, and event planning skills to work while having the opportunity to see the world. This is a fun job because you not only get to travel to new places all the time, but you get to plan fun events for guests aboard.
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Cruise Ship Entertainer
Average Annual Salary: N/AIf you’re a performer, you may want to consider taking a contract with a cruise ship. Not only do you get to stay on a cruise ship for free, but you also usually get to go ashore when the ship is docked – not a bad job perk. These positions often come in three- to six- month contracts that pay anywhere from $1,600 to $4,000 a month.
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Novel Writer
Average Annual Salary: N/AWhile a career in creative writing of any kind brings no guarantees about salary, writing novels can quickly become very lucrative if you’re successful. Plus, this is a job type that gives you the opportunity for remote work and letting your creativity shine. If you are successful, you can make over $100,000 a year.
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Advertising Copy writer
Average Annual Salary: $49,000If long-form writing such as novels or even articles isn’t for you, writing short, snappy advertising slogans and materials may be the career you’re looking for. This is another industry where your salary will depend on your skill, experience, and employer.
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Social Media Marketer
Average Annual Salary: $44,687You can turn your knack for social media into a career more quickly than you’d think. Combine that with a little bit of marketing know-how, and you’re set with a job full of new challenges to conquer and opportunities to be creative as you create marketing campaigns on social media platforms.
If you have a background in customer service and marketing and want to switch to this field, you can usually do so with some training and practice, since you already have experience building relationships.
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Voice Actor
Average Annual Salary: $73,903Being a voice actor is probably one of the most unique and fun careers, voice acting gives you the opportunity to both potentially be on the big screen and show up to work in sweats. You will need to have excellent public speaking skills as well as some creativity and memorization skills to be successful in this position.
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Photographer
Average Annual Salary: $49,000Depending on the type of photography you choose to pursue, a career as a photographer brings opportunities to travel and meet new people. It also takes hard work and some natural talent to be successful in this position.
If you are creative and love getting to try new things to get the perfect picture, this is the perfect job for you.
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Videographer
Average Annual Salary: $38,000Similar to photographers, being a successful videographer takes a lot of hard work and skill. However, your days will be full of exciting and new work, and you’ll be able to capture moments, events, and stories for posterity.
You typically need a bachelor’s degree in a related fie3ld such as photography or communications as well as some work experience to be successful in this position.
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Translator
Average Annual Salary: $42,000If you know a second (or third) language, a career as a translator or interpreter may be a fulfilling way to use that skill. Whether you work for a company, an individual, or a school, you’ll be able to connect people who wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.
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Sommelier
Average Annual Salary: $46,000If you love fine wine, have an excellent palate, and love to travel, a career as a sommelier could be an enjoyable occupation for you.
What is a fun job?
A fun job is anything that you legitimately enjoy doing. Not everyone will agree on what is considered fun and what is not fun, but all of these jobs listed have brought enjoyment to their workers.
Trying different jobs is the key to figuring out what you really enjoy. There may come a time when you go through schooling for something and once you actually get the job you hate the field of work — it’s okay to find something else. You never know what you might enjoy until you try it.
Fun high paying jobs FAQ
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What is a fun job that pays well?
A fun job that pays well is engineering. There are many different types of engineering, allowing you to find the specialty that best fits your interests and skills.
Different jobs are fun for different people, so if engineering doesn’t sound like something up your alley, consider looking into a job as a software developer, veterinarian, voice actor, or airline pilot as well.
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Jobs that people enjoy usually involve bettering others’ lives and doing something they’re passionate about. These jobs often include social workers, teachers, and artists, as well as engineers, veterinarians, and music therapists.
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Find a job you love by identifying what you’re passionate about, what you’re good at, and what your ideal work environment is. You should also consider what your salary goals are, as it can be difficult to enjoy a job that doesn’t pay your bills.
References
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Point Loma Nazarene University – A Practical Guide to Finding a Career You Love
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University of South Florida – How to Find Your Passion and a Career You Love
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University of Southern California – How Liking Your Job Will Help You Succeed
Author
Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.
