It’s part of the American Dream — a job you love that delivers top pay and gives you plenty of paid time off to live your life.
We get it. A healthy work-life balance is where it’s at.
But with the vast array of job opportunities, how do you know which ones hold the most potential for making your dream a reality?
In this article, we’ll explore the top high-paying jobs that offer the most paid time off so you can go beyond the daily grind to achieve your ideal work-life balance.
Table of Contents
2023 Trends in PTO To Consider in 2024
Let’s start off by checking out a few noteworthy Paid Time Off (PTO) stats from Forbes Magazine surrounding American workplaces from 2023 to see where we might be headed in the coming year:
The average employee receives 11 days of PTO per year.
The average worker averages 7.6 paid holidays annually.
Employees take an average of 20.3 days off annually.
Employees don’t use 6.5 days of their PTO.
Sorbet is on a mission to revolutionize PTO. Our cash advance solution allows you to advance the cash value of your unused PTO and unlock extra compensation without dipping into your paycheck.
Best part? You'll only pay a small monthly interest payment, and repay the full amount at the end of the term or when you get your PTO payout from your employer. It's that easy!
13 Jobs With the Most PTO
According to the Forbes article we referenced above, the average worker in the United States receives 11 days of paid vacation each year.
The article goes on to say, “In the private sector, the average number of paid vacation days after five years of service increases to 15 days. After 10 years of service, it rises again to 17 days. For employees with 20 years of service or more, the average number of paid vacation days is 20.”
It’s important to remember that these numbers are only averages since American employees aren’t even guaranteed paid time off.
And it’s also important to note that you can earn a good salary and still get more than the average number of vacation days since plenty of these jobs may vary on their allotted PTO depending on:
The company
Location
Time spent as an employee
And more
#1: Airline Pilot
Average yearly salary: $148,900 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment opportunities for airline pilots are projected to grow by 4% (as fast as average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 2–5 weeks annually
An airline pilot may fly a variety of types of aircraft, including airplanes and helicopters. They are responsible for:
Monitoring the overall condition of their aircraft before and after each flight
Verifying the aircraft has adequate fuel supply and that weather conditions are acceptable before takeoff
Preparing and submitting flight plans to air traffic control and maintaining communication throughout the flight
Navigating flight routes
Perform inspections
Maintaining flight records
The number of hours an airline pilot can work in a week or month is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Pilots may not fly for more than 32 hours in seven consecutive days, or 100 hours in a calendar month. They are required to rest for at least eight hours between flights and receive at least one full 24-hour day off every seven days.
Airline pilots typically average 11–14 days off each month.
#2: Judge
Average yearly salary: $128,610 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for judges are projected to grow by 2% (as fast as average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 20–30 days annually
Judges have the responsibility of:
Conducting court proceedings
Interpreting the meaning and implications of the law
Deciding if cases have enough evidence to go to trial
Appointing public defenders to those who need them
Setting bail
Ensuring defendants make pleas voluntarily
Punishing misconduct within a courtroom
They are elected or appointed, and as government officials, qualify for federal sick and administrative leave, paid holidays, and vacation time.
They may also have the option of choosing when they want to work since court dates operate on an appointment-based schedule.
In general, judges receive 20–30 days of PTO yearly.
#3: College Professor
Average yearly salary: $80,840 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for college professors are projected to grow by 8% (faster than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 12–22 days annually
College professors work in higher education, instilling students with knowledge surrounding their chosen specialty. They create a structured schedule of lessons and teach college-age students according to semester-long plans. They may also conduct and publish research within their specialty area.
Like most educators, college professors receive a sizable chunk of PTO each year. However, depending on their employment history, the exact number of days they receive can vary.
In general, college professors have from three weeks to three months of paid time off each year.
#4: Civil Engineer
Average yearly salary: $89,940 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for civil engineers are projected to grow by 5% (faster than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 3.2 weeks annually
Civil engineers plan, design, and oversee the events of construction projects. They are responsible for:
Site layout, grading the land, and identifying appropriate stormwater and sewage systems
Using computerized design software to create detailed project plans
Making presentations of the projected final design, including its environmental impact
Reviewing project documents and securing required permits before work begins
Ensuring structures and systems are assembled correctly
Researching specific topics, including building codes for a proposed project and traffic patterns near an intended building site
Conducting analyses for supply availability and costs of building materials
Determining the feasibility and timeline of a project
Ensuring work adheres to safety regulations and design specifications
Finalizing billing, inspections, and other completion details
Collaborating with architects, construction managers, and urban planners
Depending on their level of experience, civil engineers generally receive around three weeks of PTO each year.
#5: Nurse
Average yearly salary: $81,220 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for nurses are projected to grow by 6% (faster than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 17–26 days annually
Nurses assist patients and physicians in a variety of capacities, including:
Taking health histories
Conducting exams
Administering tests
Checking vital signs, drawing blood, providing immunizations
Provide healthcare advice to patients
And more
Nurses may work longer days or longer shifts than some other professions, but they also receive more consecutive days off. In some settings, such as private practices, home healthcare, or hospitals, nurses may have the flexibility to build their own schedules.
Depending on their work experience and setting, nurses generally receive 17–26 days of PTO annually.
#6: Librarian
Average yearly salary: $61,660 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for librarians are projected to grow by % (than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 5 weeks annually
Librarians may have a variety of job duties depending on their specialty. For example:
Children's librarians:
Provide educational programming
Offer homework and study help
Connect children to books and other materials that fit their interests
Digital librarians:
Catalog new materials
Answers patron’s technical questions about computers and other devices
Run technology-related programming
Depending on the librarian’s specialty, they may receive more PTO than others.
Generally, librarians are given 24 days of PTO each year.
#7: Air Traffic Controller
Average yearly salary: $132,250 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for air traffic controllers are projected to grow by 3% (as fast as average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 13–26 days annually
An air traffic controller has the job of directing and monitoring the movements of aircraft on the ground and in flight. They:
Direct runway traffic
Give takeoff and landing instructions to pilots
Transfer the control of outgoing and incoming flights
Alert airport response staff in the instance of an aircraft emergency
The FAA regulates the number of hours air traffic controllers can work weekly. Air traffic controllers may not work more than 10 straight hours during one shift and must receive at least 9 hours off between shifts. They also must have at least one full 24-hour day off every seven days.
As a general rule, air traffic controllers receive 13–26 days of paid vacation and 13 days of paid sick leave each year.
#8: Programmer Analyst
Average yearly salary: $124,200 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for programmer analysts are projected to grow by 25% (much faster than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 2–3 weeks annually
A programmer analyst defines, develops, tests, analyzes, and maintains new software applications for businesses. Their duties include:
Creating test plans, scenarios, and procedures for new software
Identifying project risks
Recommending steps to minimize potential and actual risks
Implementing software testing and evaluating results
Documenting and reporting on any software defects or issues
Providing feedback to software developers and stakeholders around the software’s usability and functionality
A programmer analyst generally receives 2–3 weeks of PTO per year.
#9: Orthodontist
Average yearly salary: $174,360
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for orthodontists are projected to grow by 9.2% (higher than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 6-weeks annually
Orthodontists help correct jaw and teeth irregularities. Their responsibilities may include:
Fitting patients with braces, retainers, and other oral appliances
Communicates procedures and costs to patients
Analyzes a patient’s medical history, x-rays, and teeth molds to determine the best course of action for treatment
On average, an orthodontist receives up to 2–6 weeks of PTO per year.
#10: Speech-Language Pathologist
Average yearly salary: $84,140 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for speech-language pathologists are projected to grow by 19% (much faster than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 10 days annually
Speech-language pathologists work with children and adults and children to correct speech, language, and swallowing issues. They may:
Create individualized treatment plans that include teaching sounds, improving vocabulary, building sentence structure, and strengthening oral muscles
Provide direction to families and caregivers regarding how to assist with treatment
Work in educational or healthcare settings
Speech-language pathologists generally have around 10 days of PTO annually.
#11: School Psychologist
Average yearly salary: $87,550
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for school psychologists are projected to grow by 15% (lower than average) through 2032.
Average PTO: 24.3 days annually
School psychologists support teachers and students by:
Offering learning support
Providing lessons related to emotional and social issues
Promoting learning motivation and engagement
Helping manage students' classroom behaviors
Conducting psychological assessments
Assessing student emotional and behavioral needs
Providing individual or group counseling
Modifying curriculum to meet individual needs
Teaching lessons on bullying, conflict resolution, and peer pressure
Facilitating optimal connections in the relationships between a child's home, school, and the community
Since school psychologists work in the field of education, they have weekends, holidays, breaks, and summers off from work.
School psychologists generally receive around 24.3 days of PTO each year. The actual amount of days of paid time off a school psychologist may receive may depend on their association with the school (are they a school employee or from an outside organization) and how their title ranks in the amount of PTO vs. other faculty like teachers.
#12: K-12 School Principal
Average yearly salary: $101,320 per year
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for K-12 school principals are projected to grow by 1% (little to no change) through 2032.
Average PTO: 2–4 weeks annually
A K-12 principal has a wide range of responsibilities that might include:
Walking their school community through policy creation and management
Setting educational standard
Supervising students, faculty, and staff
Hiring employees and approving volunteers
Communicating with parents and faculty
Planning academic calendars
Recruiting and admitting students
Provide discipline as needed
School principals’ schedules are often different from classroom teachers’, requiring them to sometimes work evenings, weekends, or summers.
In general, school principals receive around 2–4 weeks of PTO each year.
#13: Teacher
Average yearly salary: $62,360 per year (high school teachers) $61,620 per year (elementary school teachers)
Expected job growth rate: According to the BLS, employment opportunities for teachers are projected to grow by 1% (little to no change) through 2032.
Average PTO: 13.5 days annually
Elementary, middle, and high school teachers:
Act as role models for their students
Handle the preparation and delivery of educational instruction to students
Grade student assignments
Attend parent-teacher conferences and faculty meetings
Take part in professional development workshops
Create teaching resources, prepare and share presentations, and facilitate classroom instruction
Teachers generally receive 13.5 days of PTO annually.
One analysis found that the attendance rate for the average teacher is 95%. This means plenty of teachers aren’t using their well-earned PTO. So instead of taking the time off from school (and enduring the hassle of turning over your classroom to a sub), why not advance it with Sorbet?
Untap the Potential of Your Unused PTO With Sorbet
Did you know Sorbet allows you to cash advance your unused PTO?
And what's more, did you know the whole process is easy as pie?
Here's how it works:
Apply — it only takes a few minutes and is totally risk-free.
Get paid! Once approved, you’ll see the money in your bank account within 1-5 business days.
Sorbet’s solution is the perfect way to get the most out of your unused PTO so you can cash in on your piece of the American Dream.