The top 10 most stressful grad jobs in 2024, and how little money you get paid for them

If you thought uni was stressful, wait until you actually have to work for a living instead of sleeping until noon, rocking up to two lectures in trackies and calling it a day. The most stressful grad jobs in 2024 don’t even make up for your misery by paying you more.

The hemp products company CBD.co have figured out which industries are the most stressful. They analysed data from the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2023 Work in America Survey, then calculated a ‘stress score’ for each industry. So, jobs with a one would be the most chill, and jobs with a five would be the most anxiety-inducing.

Here are the 10 most stressful jobs in 2024, and how much a UK grad typically gets paid for them in 2024.

10. Manufacturing – 3.6 stress score

If you manage to waltz into the manufacturing industry with an engineering degree, then you’ll probably make around £30,000.

9. Customer service – 3.7 stress score

You make mildly more money supporting the clients of a large corporation than you did working in a pub at uni. A graduate level customer service advisor might earn £25,000.

8. Marketing – 3.8 stress score

Entry level jobs in marketing can pay anywhere between £22,000 and £35,000. It really depends on what kind of marketing you can nab a job in. Entry level positions at large PR companies in London might pay you £35,000. If you’re posting pretty pictures on Instagram of a smoothie bar or something, you’re unlikely to earn much more than £25,000.

7. Human resources – 3.9 stress score

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HR salaries really vary depending on what company you’re part of. The NHS runs an HR grad scheme which pays £29,225. The Civil Service’s HR Fast Stream pays £31,186. If you work for a large corporation, you could make more like £38,000.

6. Sales – 4.0 stress score

If you have the gift of the gab and next to no morals, then sales might be the career for you! Companies tend to pay grads in their sales departments between £32,000 and £35,000 a year.

Just smile through the unemployment

=4. Law enforcement – 4.1 stress score

Once police constables have finished their training, they should be paid upwards of £30,000 a year. If you work in a pricier area, such as London, you’ll probably get paid more. The Metropolitan Police pay a starting salary of £38,269.

=4. Education – 4.1 stress score

According to the UK teachers’ union, newly qualified teachers should now get paid a minimum of £31,650 a year. You can always make more money as a side hustle during your two month long holiday each summer.

3. Technology – 4.2 stress score

Not everyone in the technology sector can be a nasty Silicon Valley billionaire. Software engineering grad jobs in the UK usually pay about £30,000. Grad schemes at larger companies might offer you £35,000.

2. Finance – 4.3 stress score

Your happiness is the price you pay for a finance bro salary. Grad schemes at fancy banks in London will pay you upwards of £50,000 a year.

1. Healthcare – 4.4 stress score

I literally can’t imagine a more hellish job than working on a ward in a hospital. I can’t even cope with a flatmate being sick. If you’re somehow willing to deal with other people’s illnesses all day (and night), you’d better not be in it for the money.

Newly qualified nurses and physios tend to be part of the NHS salary Band 5, so get paid £29,970 a year. Doctors doing their foundation training now earn something between £36,616 to £42,008.