The ultimate test: 10 degrees that lead to the hardest jobs in the world

Once we finish university, there’ll be no more assignments, deadlines, and exams, right? That may be true for some of us, but not if your degree leads you to the hardest jobs in the world.

There is no denying that each job comes with its own challenges. But let’s face it, some jobs are way more taxing than others.

These people are juggling many demands and competing priorities — possibly holding two phones in one hand. Their faces often look overbooked and overwhelmed. When you invite them out, they always say they’re too busy or too tired.

This, however, is just one type of burnout.

In a Harvard Business Review article, Melody Wilding, author of “Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work” posits there are two other types of burnout.

The first is “Under-Challenged Burnout,” where you’re doing too little. Bored and unstimulated, you lack motivation and are frustrated, cynical and lethargic from lacking growth and connection with your colleagues, bosses and company.

The second is “Neglect Burnout,” which refers to feeling helpless in the face of challenges. Jobs with little structure, direction, or guidance in the workplace can make you feel incompetent, frustrated, and uncertain.

But beneath these negative exteriors, people in some of the hardest jobs in the world may actually be the most satisfied and rewarded.

Why do people get in and stay in the hardest jobs in the world?

10 degrees that lead to the hardest jobs in the world: 

1. Bachelor of Medicine 

It is no surprise that a career in the medical line is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Whatever role you end up in, your job isn’t going to be easy. 

The difficulty begins from the get-go, where not only can it be costly to pursue your degree, it’s competitive too. Upon successfully securing a spot in university, you’ll find yourself tested not just physically and financially — you’ll be tested mentally and emotionally too.

There was a 35.3% percentage increase in the rate of depression among medical students in the US between 2019 and 2024, according to a study conducted by the higher education research group Degreechoices.

In 2019, the percentage of medical students suffering from depression was 22.1%, while in 2024, this number grew to 29.9%. This is almost twice the increase of the second-ranked field of study, law.

It doesn’t really get better when you progress into a professional career too.

Front-line workers have significantly higher mental health needs than their non-front-line colleagues, with 61% being more likely to suffer from depression and 33% more likely to suffer anxiety, according to a 2024 study from digital workforce resilience platform meQuilibrium.

That being said, working as a healthcare worker is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. 

A registered nurse on Reddit says, “For me, it’s having the ability and knowledge to help someone that REALLY needs it. I mean, they all do.. but the real sickies that I am worried about and needing to be extra attentive to makes me feel like I’m doing something important for someone. It’s rewarding.”

2. Bachelor of Marketing 

You can’t go anywhere without seeing some form of marketing — even just opening up your Internet browser will inevitably bring forth an ad or ten.

Just take a look at your LinkedIn — while the world likes to roll their eyes at the social media executives making their colleagues do cringy TikTok trends to be, well, on-trend, it’s also a tough job to be in.

Social media strategist and speaker Shannon McKinstrie puts it plainly: “When someone asks ‘Can someone recommend a social media manager’ it usually means ‘We’re looking to hire a social media strategist, copywriter, videographer, brand coach, data analyst, editor, graphic designer, & community manager for US$10/hour’.”

However, if you succeed in this field, you will enjoy a high salary. Global Social Media Managers can earn US$121,000 to US$210,000 per year. Meanwhile, those in sales aren’t doing too bad too — they take home their base salary and the commission they make, earning around US$75,955 per year.

3. Bachelor of Aviation 

While working as a pilot sounds like a dream as you get to travel to many different countries, it is actually one of the hardest jobs in the world. 

The biggest stress from this job is the responsibility that lies in the hands of the pilot. You are esponsible for hundreds of lives at a time as you take them over vast lands and oceans.

Besides that, pilots also have to deal with weather delays, disgruntled passengers and jet lag.

To become a pilot, you will first need to complete a bachelor’s  degreein aviation and then go through years of training to develop your experience and skills. 

The upside to this career is that airlines pay pilots well, as they know how hard the job is.

While this job comes with huge risks and is one of the most dangerous, pilots are some of the highest paid in the world. Pilots in the US earn around US$108,581 annually. 

4. Bachelor in Engineering

A bachelor’s degree in engineering can open the doors to many career opportunities. This includes one of the hardest jobs in the world: astronautical engineer or astronauts.

Astronauts have stressful, high-pressure jobs that can be mentally draining.

While travelling to space sounds amazing, it takes a lot of hard work and determination. You need to be physically and mentally fit to withstand the mental isolation of long missions in space. 

Those in this line need to be able to stay calm in stressful situations and be prepared to face anything that might happen while in space. 

With such high risks, it is no surprise that astronauts earn around US$104,898 to US$161,141 a year. 

5. Bachelor of Social Work 

To become a social worker, you must first obtain a degree in social work from an accredited university. 

Now, before you think it’s not too difficult of a degree, think again.

Between 2019 and 2024, social work students in the US saw a 12.6% increase in depression, according to a study conducted by Degreechoices.com. This field had the second-highest percentage of students suffering from depression in 2024, at 42.1%, while it had the third-highest in 2019, at 37.4%.

The reasons behind these high rates could be emotional exposure to trauma, as social workers often work with vulnerable populations, heavy workloads and high expectations of empathy.

A career in this field results in the same problems, too — the combined physical and mental toll is hard to shake off. You will consistently be put in some difficult situations, all while doing what is best for the child in question. 

One social worker on Reddit says that those considering a career in social work have to put serious thought into what they hope to achieve and what they expect in return.

“Social work is a public service, not just a career,” they write. “By return, I don’t just mean finance and pensions, though they are important. It’s a two-way street. You help and protect people. There is a return in terms of personal growth, but it is impossible to predict what that will be.”

“Stress, emotional burnout and disillusion are constant risks. You will be expected to deal with the most difficult situations that people face and exercise profoundly difficult ethical judgment in doing so. Only the best of us can achieve that with success and also live with the consequences of failures. Be prepared for both.”

6. Bachelor in Culinary Arts 

If you are someone that can work under pressure while taking orders and overseeing everything in the kitchen, then a career as a chef is exactly for you. 

Imagine if you had to work under Gordon Ramsay. It’s no surprise that a career as a chef is one of the hardest jobs in the world. 

Working in a restaurant is often hot, as there is always something boiling, baking or frying. As a chef, you will need to be on your feet for long hours at a time while enduring hot temperatures all around you.

It’s always loud and can get overhwelmingly hectic during peak hours, with orders coming in like hotcakes. 

Being able to deliver orders on time while avoiding the hazards all around the kitchen can take a toll on you. 

You have to produce the perfect meal every time. The customer expects no less.

7. Bachelor in Teaching

Teachers are the unsung heroes of our society. They are responsible for nurturing the minds of the next generation. 

While many view a bachelor’s degree in education as easy, the job of a teacher is considered one of the most difficult careers for centuries.

Teachers have to deal with many children who have different personalities and interests. They are also responsible for the safety of their students at all times. 

And their job doesn’t end once the school bell rings. Teachers usually have a heavy workload with marking students’ work and creating lesson plans. 

This has led to 35% of university lecturers in the US feeling burnt out. This number is higher for K-12 teachers, with 44% of them feeling this way. 

8. Bachelor in Nuclear Science 

A nuclear scientist plays a big role in ensuring a safe environment.

They are responsible for operating and maintaining nuclear power plants, researching new methods of generating clean energy, developing nuclear weapons and storing them safely, creating new drugs and medicine with atomic physics and making sure that all the waste produced by facilities is disposed of properly so it doesn’t contaminate the environment or harm anyone.

To begin a career in this field, you will first need to complete a bachelor’s in nuclear science to understand the skills and knowledge for a successful career. 

In this area, you will be required to work with radioactive materials, which could be toxic and dangerous in the long run. 

9. Bachelor of Surgery 

While surgery on its own is dubbed a difficult field to enter, neurosurgery has been recognised as one of the most difficult jobs in the world. 

As a neurosurgeon, you are expected to have a wide range of skills and knowledge. Those who choose this path need excellent hand-eye coordination and organisational skills to perform surgery. 

Neurosurgery is a demanding and time-consuming career. The process of becoming a neurosurgeon is also long and gruelling.

To become a neurosurgeon, you will usually follow this path:

• Four years of pre-medical education
• Attend a four-year medical school and graduate with an MD or DO degree
• One year of internship in general surgery 
• Five to seven years in a neurosurgery residency programme

This is a journey of least 14 years before being legally qualified to poke inside someone’s head.

Though a long and difficult endeavour, the result is rewarding. Neurosurgery is one of the most prestigious and highly paid-professions.

Those in this line earn an average of US$216,329 a year and have the honour of saying they’ve saved plenty of lives.

10. Bachelor of Law

Law has been recognised as one of the most highly-respected fields, falling in second place behind doctors.

Professionals in this field are renowned for being high-performing, intellectually outstanding, and hardworking individuals.

All this hard work comes with a high salary to match. 

However, while being a lawyer can guarantee an elite reputation and plenty of cash in the bank, it is also one of the hardest jobs in the world. 

Lawyers work in billable hours, which means every hour you’re not working, you’re not earning money.

This has led to a well-known culture of overwork among lawyers and legal professionals, who often find little time to rest or do anything else but work. That’s not counting the difficult clients, increasing demands and mountains of paperwork daily as well.

On top of all that, aside from having one of the hardest exams in the world, law students in the US have seen an 18.8% increase in depression rates between 2019 and 2024, reports Degreechoices.com.

Disclaimer: This article was last updated on September 30, 2024.