What careers lead to the most burnout?

This is easily one of the most common questions I get, right up there with the telltale signs of burnout. Let’s face it—we all want a bit of validation, to know if we’re alone in feeling drained and exhausted by our work. So, I set out to answer that question by digging into data from various articles, resources, and studies. Here are the 11 careers that consistently top the burnout charts. (And if your job isn’t on the list, that doesn’t mean burnout isn’t a factor. Trust me, burnout doesn’t discriminate.)

Ready? Let’s dive into the professions most often associated with high burnout rates and why they’re so prone to it.

Top Professions with the Most Burnout

1. Social Workers

Social workers face burnout on a level that’s difficult to overstate. They work with some of the most challenging aspects of society, handling emotionally intense cases daily and often dealing with overwhelming caseloads. The clients they serve typically have significant needs, making it hard for social workers not to internalize the emotional weight of their clients' experiences. No surprise, then, that about 75% of social workers experience burnout at some point in their careers.

2. Emergency Responders & Medical Professionals
(Including police officers, firefighters, ER nurses, dispatchers, physicians, pharmacists)

People in these roles often face life-and-death situations, long hours, night shifts, and chronic sleep deprivation—all major burnout triggers. Studies show that 34% of emergency department staff and a third of nurses in the U.S. report high emotional burnout. These roles are high-stress with excessive demands, which chronically deplete energy stores and activate the body’s stress response system (the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal, or HPA, axis).

3. Design Professionals

This one might surprise you. Design professionals face unique burnout risks due to high client expectations, constantly shifting priorities, and the pressure to deliver creative solutions on tight deadlines. Around 55% of designers report feeling burned out, thanks to factors like unclear feedback, unrealistic deadlines, and the nonstop need to produce fresh ideas.

4. Entrepreneurs & Corporate Professionals

Why are these two groups combined? Simple: neither job really "ends." Both entrepreneurs and corporate professionals are often on-call 24/7. A survey by Comparably found that 44% of corporate workers feel expected to work during vacation. And entrepreneurs? Many impose these same expectations on themselves, with endless evening hours, weekend work, and no true time off.

5. Lawyers

Law is a classic high-burnout profession. About 73% of lawyers report burnout, largely due to heavy demands, high-stress environments, and a “work hard, don’t complain” culture. Many lawyers fit the Myers-Briggs personality type ISFJ—prone to taking on too much and suppressing emotions, which only adds fuel to the burnout fire.

6. Academic STEM Professionals

I spent a decade in academic science, so I know firsthand why STEM pros experience burnout. Roughly 40% of students leave STEM programs within four years, and for those who stick with it, burnout often becomes a given. Women in STEM, in particular, face isolation and lack of support, leading to higher burnout rates. Constantly innovating to stay relevant in the field also means relentless pressure to produce.

7. Journalists

Low pay, chaotic hours, and constant deadlines make journalism a high-burnout career. Reporters rarely get a true break, and their work often involves covering tough stories that take an emotional toll. Between the unpredictable hours and the pressure to deliver, journalism consistently ranks as one of the most stressful professions.

8. Retail Workers

Underappreciation and low pay are two of the biggest burnout triggers for retail workers. Many work multiple part-time jobs just to make ends meet, with minimal chances for career growth. Retail is demanding work with high turnover rates, leading to physical, emotional, and mental burnout for those in the industry.

9. Military Personnel

Military service comes with intense physical, mental, and emotional stress. From intense training and combat to frequent deployments and isolation from family, the military places extreme demands on its personnel. Add in the post-service challenges, like PTSD, and it’s clear why the military is one of the top burnout professions.

10. Teachers & Educators

Teachers might get summers off, but that doesn’t diminish the daily pressures they face. They work well beyond school hours and often invest emotionally in their students’ success. The fulfillment of shaping young minds is real, but so is the burnout from balancing long hours, emotional responsibility, and a paycheck that rarely reflects their contributions.

What About the Least Stressful Careers?

On the flip side, certain jobs consistently rank as the least stressful. According to CareerCast, here are some careers with notably low stress levels:

• Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

• Compliance Officer

• Hairstylist

• Audiologist

• University Professor (tenured, which is a key distinction here)

• Medical Records Technician

• Jeweler

• Pharmacy Technician

• Massage Therapist

And if you’re looking for high-paying, low-stress options, Business Insider recommends these roles:

• Environmental Scientists

• Financial Examiners

• Database Architects

• Art Directors

• Ship Operators

• Post-secondary Mathematical Science Teachers

• Post-secondary Philosophy & Religion Teachers

Curious about more high-paying, low-stress jobs? Check out Business Insider’s full list.

How to Prevent Burnout (Regardless of Your Job)

Feeling the burn? Whether you’re in one of the most burnout-prone professions or not, no one is immune. Here are a few strategies to keep burnout at bay:

• Prioritize Self-Care: Make time for activities that recharge you, from exercise to hobbies.

• Set Boundaries: Protect your personal time by setting firm boundaries around work.

• Automate Tasks Where Possible: Free up mental energy by automating repetitive tasks.

• Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate stress-reducing practices like meditation or breathing exercises into your routine.

For a deeper dive into burnout prevention, check out these resources on my website…