3 Meaningful Careers that Help People and Pay Well

Money isn’t the only motivator when it comes to pursuing a career. For many, finding a career that makes a difference is just as important as earning a big paycheck.

Meaningful careers may become increasingly important in years to come as Millennials continue to enter the workforce. A 2012 study by Net Impact showed that 72% of college students want to find a job that allows them to make an impact.

Making the world a better place may seem like a lofty career goal, but there are plenty of career options that allow employees to make a difference while earning a living.

Here are three fields for job-seekers looking to improve the lives of others through their work:

Public Health careers 

Working in the public health field is a great fit for people who want to make a positive difference. Public health is all about helping others stay healthy and safe through education, research and preventative action. This field has helped create vaccinations, control the outbreak of diseases and improve workplace and motor vehicle safety.

Employment in public health can be found on a local, state, national or global scale. Each path provides the opportunity to help others, whether it is teaching one person how to make healthy choices or saving thousands of lives by discovering a cure for a communicable disease.

Public health career options are varied. There are academic, research and clinical health positions. Education requirements and pay depend upon the position.

For example, health educators and healthcare social workers usually need to have at least a bachelor’s degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for health educators as of May 2012 was $48,790. During the same time period, the median annual salary for healthcare social workers was $49,830.

Additional education is needed to become an epidemiologist. A master’s degree is usually required for work in this field, though a Ph.D. is sometimes required. Epidemiologists study diseases in order to figure out how to prevent outbreaks and develop treatments. The median annual salary for this position was $65,270 as of May 2012.

Environmental studies careers

Environmental careers are well-suited for people who want to help protect natural resources and solve ecological issues. Many of the career choices in this field are science-based, though other options include education or public policy.

Many of the jobs in this field require a bachelor’s degree, though some positions might require a master’s degree or doctorate. Specific certification might also be required for some of the positions, though this could vary by state.

Environmental scientists, environmental engineers, conversation scientist and foresters are all positions that typically require a bachelor’s degree, according to the BLS. Environmental scientists do research to solve environmental issues. As of May 2012, the median annual wage for this position was $63,570.

Conservation scientists and foresters study the natural resources of forests and parks to protect the resources while complying with government regulations. The median salary for conservation scientists was $61,100 as of May 2012. The median salary for foresters during that time period was $55,950.

Environmental engineering is another career option for people looking to make a difference. They work to improve public health through solving environmental problems using a mixture of science and engineering. The median wage for this position as of May 2012 was $80,890.

Biomedical science careers

Biomedical science helps to change the world every day, as this field is one of the essential parts of modern medicine. Biomedical scientists study cells, molecules and tissue in order to understand disease, diagnose illness and develop treatments.

Careers in biomedical science usually require some form of higher education, though the particular degree depends on the position. Biomedical engineering is a field that typically requires a bachelor’s degree. This field works to create solutions to medical and biological problems. According to the BLS, the median salary for biomedical engineers was $86,960 as of May 2012.

Microbiology is another field that can be pursued with a bachelor’s degree, though microbiologists may need a Ph.D. to conduct original research at a university. Microbiologists study microscopic organisms and use their research to help the world. They may develop new drugs to fight disease or help find ways to protect the environment. The median salary for microbiologists was $66,260 as of May 2012.

Biochemists and biophysicists are positions that typically require a Ph.D. in order to conduct research, though entry-level jobs in this field may be possible with bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Biochemists and biophysicists examine living things at a physical and chemical level. This work can help figure out how diet, hormones or medicine impact biological processes. The median annual salary for this position was $81,480 as of May 2012.