Because you instinctively know that if your career doesn’t help you become the person you want to be, the size of the paycheck won’t matter. Helping people jobs allow you to create a legacy that prioritizes serving others rather than living a lavish lifestyle or providing a fortune for those you leave behind. You want more out of life than to be comfortable, but you still want to earn enough to provide for yourself and the people who depend on you. As you’ll see in this list of socially conscious career options, the two can go together.
23 Meaningful Jobs that Help People
Look through the following options for jobs that help people and pay attention to your immediate reaction. But don’t be afraid to push past it and learn more. Only when you discover more about a particular job do you begin to understand whether it will provide the fulfillment and meaning you’re seeking in your work.
Elementary or High School Teacher
Teachers for grades K through 12 are responsible for teaching their students essential skills (reading, writing, and arithmetic to begin with) and providing a well-rounded education to prepare them for life beyond their high school graduation. Required Education: Bachelor’s degree + teaching certification (for public schools) Average Salary: $48,932 Steps to Get Started:
Early Childhood Educator
Early childhood educators are responsible for helping children aged five and under learn important cognitive and social skills. They also help their families create stimulating and supportive home environments for those children to give them the best possible start. Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education Average Salary: $48,497 Steps to Get Started:
Special Education Teacher
Special education teachers help students with special needs — autism, ADHD, etc. — to learn and thrive in a school environment. Their primary duty is to design and implement Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that will help each student manage their learning and behavioral challenges so that they can make the most of their time in school. Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in Special Education Average Salary: $52,727 Steps to Get Started:
911 Dispatcher
Typically, when someone calls 911, their life is in danger. By dispatching the proper emergency personnel and staying with the caller until help arrives, 911 dispatchers save lives and give callers hope that they and their safety and well-being matter. Required Education: High school diploma or GED (general education diploma) Average Salary: $40,344 Steps to Get Started:
Firefighter
Firefighters are a critical part of an emergency response, especially one involving fire. They put their lives at risk to protect lives and property endangered by fire or other volatile elements like dangerous chemical spills and downed powerlines. Required Education: High school diploma or GED Average Salary: $48,890 Steps to Get Started:
Paramedic or EMT
Paramedics or EMTs are the first to respond to an emergency. Their job is to administer life-saving or stabilizing treatment until a patient can be safely transported to a hospital. With their knowledge and experience, they save lives by treating those who are seriously injured, in danger, or in medical distress when every second matters. Required Education: EMT Basic Training Average Salary: $40,309 Steps to Get Started:
Emergency Physician / ER Doctor
ER doctors handle a dizzying variety of medical crises every day — some more urgent than others. They work long hours and are counted on to expertly assess each patient’s problem and identify the best solution for it. ER doctors and nurses save lives every day. Thanks to them, sick and injured patients receive the care they need in order to heal. Required Education: Medical degree Average Salary: $269,546 Steps to Get Started:
Pediatrician
Pediatricians are medical doctors who work with children from infancy to young adulthood to ensure they receive the best medical care. They diagnose and treat illnesses, address developmental delays, and make necessary recommendations for specialized care. They play a critical role in the health and well-being of their growing patients. Required Education: a doctorate degree is the entry-level requirement for a pediatrician. Average Salary: $170,560 Steps to Get Started:
Nurse Practitioner
Certified Nurse Practitioners (NPs) can serve as primary care providers to patients of all ages and backgrounds — prescribing medication, diagnosing illnesses, and educating patients about preventive care. As a primary care provider, they can cultivate relationships with their patients and gain a better sense of any improvement or decline in their health. Required Education: Master’s degree in nursing (MSN) Average Salary: $107,030 Steps to Get Started:
Nurse Midwife
Nurse-midwives prepare women for pregnancy and childbirth, guiding them along the way and working to ensure a safe and healthy labor and delivery for both mother and baby. They also administer tests and teach parents about the health needs of their babies. Required Education: Master’s degree + state license Average Salary: $103,770 Steps to Get Started:
Dietician and Nutritionist
These essentially perform the same function, which is to assess how diets and supplements can affect your health and to design a meal plan for a client’s optimal health. Their expert, one-on-one nutritional advice can save and improve the lives of people struggling with eating disorders or metabolic disorders. Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in clinical nutrition, dietetics, public health nutrition, or foods and nutrition Average Salary: $59,660 Steps to Get Started:
Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists clean your teeth and assess the health and overall condition of your teeth and gums. Their knowledge and regular care helps patients avoid costly and painful infections in the long-term, possibly saving their lives as well as their oral health. Required Education: Associate’s degree in dental hygiene or bachelor’s degree Average Salary: $74,820 (full-time) or $35.97 per hour (many hygienists work part-time) Steps to Get Started: INFJ Careers: 6 To Avoid If You’re An INFJ Personality Your List Of The Best Careers For ENFP Personality Types
Mental Health Counselor
Mental health counselors assess their patients’ needs and recommend treatment options. They also provide an empathetic ear while gently guiding their clients to insightful questions and breakthroughs in self-knowledge and personal growth. Required Education: Master’s degree + supervised clinical experience + a state license Average Salary: $44,840 Steps to Get Started:
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor
Substance abuse counselors help people with addiction problems, while behavioral disorder counselors help those with behavioral challenges due to autism, ADHD, mental illness, or other concerns. Both are caring professionals with skills that make them uniquely suited to handling disruptions caused by people struggling with mental health challenges or addictions. Required Education: a Bachelor’s degree + supervised clinical experience + a license Average Salary: $44,630 Steps to Get Started:
Eating Disorder Counselor
Eating Disorder Counselors work with patients struggling with an eating disorder (e.g., anorexia, bullimia, binge eating, etc.) and help them and their families create a plan for their continuing recovery. With their knowledge, experience, and empathy, they help those with eating disorders to recognize them for what they are and to want a healthier relationship with food. Required Education: Master’s degree in clinical or counseling psychology Average Salary: $46,240 Steps to Get Started:
Marriage & Family Therapist
These therapists help couples and families resolve conflicts and improve their relationships. If they pick up on warnings signs of abuse (physical or emotional), they work with the abused to get the care and protection they need. Required Education: Master’s degree and state license Average Salary: $50,090 Steps to Get Started:
Occupational Therapist
As an occupational therapist, you would help patients with disabilities or injuries improve their physical performance and muscle coordination. You’d also assess their home and workspaces to identify changes that could make their daily lives more comfortable and improve their health and well-being. Required Education: Master’s degree in occupational therapy Average Salary: $80,782 Steps to Get Started:
Child and Family Social Worker
These are social workers who focus on child and family development. They ensure children are protected and are receiving adequate care and nutrition. They look for signs of abuse and provide access to food, housing or shelter, and other childcare services. Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in social work or any related field Average Salary: $53,950 Steps to Get Started:
Social and Community Service Manager
These professionals manage programs designed to serve the public to ensure they run efficiently and fulfill their purpose. They may work for nonprofits, government agencies, or nursing homes, Required Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree Average Salary: $65,320 Steps to Get Started:
Personal Care Assistant (PCA)
Personal care assistants provide care for those who need help with day-to-day activities due to injury, disability, or a medical condition. They provide critical support for their client’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Required Education: certification and training Average Salary: $55,000 Steps to Get Started:
Career Advisor
Career Advisors help students choose a career path that suits their goals and personalities. They also give them the tools they need to go after the jobs they’ve studied for. You could be responsible for helping students identify, prepare for, and find meaningful and fulfilling jobs for themselves. Required Education: Master’s degree in pyschology or any related field Average Salary: $44,863 Steps to Get Started:
Translator and Interpreter
Translators and interpreters bridge language and cultural barriers to foster communication and facilitate understanding. They may work in schools, in courtrooms, or for businesses to ensure no one is left out due to hearing difficulties or language barriers. Required Education: a Bachelor’s degree + fluency in at least two languages Average Salary: $49,930 Steps to Get Started:
Lawyer
Lawyers advocate for the legal rights of their clients by providing legal advice and, if a case goes to court, by defending or prosecuting with the purpose of seeking justice. As a lawyer you can make all the difference in whether your clients receive the justice they have a right to expect. You play a critical role in whether an innocent suspect is proven so or suffers imprisonment or worse. Required Education: Juris doctor degree Average Salary: $117,118 Steps to Get Started: Which of these jobs that help people spoke to you? You’re interested in careers to help others because you’ve embraced a simple truth: everyone is their neighbor’s keeper. And you see living that truth as an essential part of becoming the person you want to be. So, which of the career options listed here made you want to look into them more closely? Make a short list of those that call out to you and jot down some ideas on why they appeal to you more than the others. Then do some digging. May what you learn change your life immeasurably for the better.
