Where does your job come on the list of the best and worst jobs, based on average income, stress, working environment, physical demands and employment outlook?

CareerCast have rated 200 jobs on that very criteria and created a list of the best and the worst.

Whilst it’s based largely on US data, it’s still interesting to have a look at thoughts from across the pond.

Here’s the top ten:

1. Software engineer
2. Mathematician
3. Actuary
4. Statistician
5. Computer systems analyst
6. Meteorologist
7. Biologist
8. Historian
9. Audiologist
10. Dental hygienist

All of these posts have low stress levels, a good working environment, are not physically demanding and offer good salary and job prospects.

And as for the ten worst jobs:

1. Construction worker
2. Meter reader
3. Painter
4. Welder
5. Emergency medical technician
6. Taxi driver
7. Roofer
8. Lumberjack
9. Ironworker
10. Roustabout (oil rig worker)

It’s not surprising to see that white-collar jobs make up the top jobs, where blue-collar roles fill the bottom ten, especially when one of the criteria was ‘physical demands.’

I can see the logic behind it, but I’m not sure that having to work hard physically makes a job bad – it all depends on the person doing it.

Incidentally, a news reporter is apparently the twelfth worst job, with high stress, no jobs, a bad working environment and low pay.

However, as the only job that even slightly appeals to me in that top ten is an historian, I won’t be taking it to heart.

Where does your job come on the list? Click here, find out and come back and tell us what you think in the comments section below.