High-Paying Jobs That Offer the Most Time Off

You operate according to the letter of the law and appreciate a system that you can be sure of. Often hailed as the leader in work-place situations, you have no issue holding accountability and being responsible for final decisions. You’re willing to work from the ground-up to get what you want, and crave the respect of a high-ranking title.

No small achievement education-wise, a career as a judge requires the primary stepping stones of a bachelor’s degree, a degree in law, certification by the Bar and of course, a gleaming (and often fairly lengthy) career as a lawyer before you might ever get handed the gavel. All things considered, it makes sense that judges would pull in one of the highest salaries on this list. And while many judges put in countless hours per workweek, making an average of over $100,000 per year, there are those working out of small courts that are working less than full time hours, but still bring in a very respectable annual income of $85,957, according to Payscale.com.

Authoritative and organized, you’re often considered the leader of the pack. You enjoy being “in the mix” but appreciate the prestige of a higher-ranking title. You enjoy working with others, and have an interest in education.  

Not quite as time-consuming in its educational requirements as some of the other careers on this list, a role as principal still comes with its own checklist. As a rule of thumb, the more education you’ve got under your belt, the better, but a teaching certificate is an absolute must to get you started, along with significant experience working in education. Some principals do pull a year-round shift, but the majority work the full school term only, allowing them the summers off from managing the students and staff alike day-to-day. The stress of a career based in juggling so many roles from one day to the next is made worth it for elementary school principals, who rake in an average salary of $99,613, according to Payscale.com.

You’re big on books and have always been something of an organizational neatfreak. Your ability to effectively research information is matched only by your love of reading all things from A to Z. Oh, and you look killer in a pair of prescription lenses. If only you could find a career that allowed you as much time in the stacks as it does time off to make it through your yearly bucket list of books…  

Would others describe you best as a “giver?” Someone who cares for others and enjoys taking on the role of nurturer in most situations? Are you happiest when working with others, taking on new challenges and working toward positive results?

If it wasn’t already clear, your best career choice may be as a librarian. With several areas to specialize within this field, the amount of your workload will likely vary based on what you choose. For example, a librarian working out of a post-secondary institution can pull heavy hours, including weekends and holidays, affording them the higher-end annual salary of over $80,000. For a better balance of work and free-time, librarians staffed within the elementary and high-school levels, with schedules generally made up of mornings and early afternoon shifts Monday through Friday, typically get their summers off while still claiming an average annual income of $58,779, according to Payscale.com.

Generally, a master’s degree or higher is the primary requirement in this field, followed by whichever accredited programs specific to your location are needed to qualify you in the field – which all translates to your educational background being both lengthy and expensive. But once that’s all said and done, you’ll be working in a field dedicated to helping those with physical and mental disabilities improve their quality of life. Rewarding in itself, this role also typically operates in an appointment-only capacity, meaning you could essentially make set your own hours and work, as many do, less than the standard 40-hour workweek. With the average annual income reported by Payscale.com being $62,422, we’re not surprised this field is so attractive for its financial possibilities and scheduling flexibility.

You’re a “hands-on” person who is big on personal hygiene. You’re comfortable working closely with others and aren’t scared off by the sight of blood, or the sound of a drill. You have a calming presence, and have no issue working under someone else, enjoying the set parameters of your role.  

In conjunction with a dentist, a dental hygienist – also known as a dental assistant – generally does patient cleanings, handles x-rays and initial prep-work, as well as assisting in surgeries and examinations. Certification in this field is less grueling than others, not to mention the benefits of working in a more stable environment for considerably fewer hours than other roles in medicine. The flexibility of hours worked is one of the biggest perks of this job, with dentists generally working less hours per week than the standard 40-hours, while still making full-time salaries, averaging at $105,262 per year, according to Payscale.com.

You’re fascinated by the mental process, and at ease discussing nearly any subject matter, in depth, with others. You find communication to be therapeutic, and relish the opportunity to have others confide in you, or seek out your advice.  

Professional psychologists working in Canadian schools will generally either have a master’s or doctoral degree; meaning the qualification process will be both time-consuming – and costly. However, unlike some medical doctors, practicing out of hospitals, psychologists work on a by-appointment basis, setting their own hours. For professionals in this field working out of schools, this translates to shorter days and the added bonus of summer vacations. Not bad when you consider the average annual salary was noted at $91,140, according to Neuvoo.ca.

A linguistic wiz, you’ve always had an interest in the technical aspects of language and speech. You thrive when working with others, finding you’re at ease in mentorship roles that allow you to help guide and educate others. An extremely patient person, you value success in slow and steady steps, never losing your ability to inspire and get creative in new approaches to helping others achieve their goals.

Working with patients to correct speech-disorders like stutters and lisps, a speech language pathologist comes equipped with both the educational requirements as well as extensive clinical experience. The majority of practicing pathologists work with youth, many working out of junior or secondary schools. This allows them to both set their appointments and benefit from the months of summer vacation each year. All in all, this rewarding career affords its professionals an average annual salary of $75,014, according to Nuevoo.ca.

A born student, you aren’t afraid to live your life in the classroom. You’ve done exceptionally well in school, and have tremendous respect and interest in the educational field. With a mind for legal thinking, you would much rather teach than practice…

With an average annual salary of $91,574, as reported by Payscale.com, it’s not hard to see the appeal in a career as a post-secondary law professor. With a degree in law typically being the sole requirement, more and more professionals in the field are electing to go for their master’s, with many going a step further to obtain their PhD. Working on a post-secondary campus as a professor typically includes perks like housing and travel allowances, access to campus facilities and paid sabbaticals. Did we mention the best part? Summer break!

Do you live by the motto the sky’s the limit? Is the best part of travel for you the actual time spent in the air? Are you a travel enthusiast, eager to see the world?

Owing to the set limits on flying time for pilots of large aircrafts, the maximum time a pilot is cleared to fly per year is 1,000 hours, some of that time which is counted towards during “nonflying” hours (waiting for their aircraft to arrive or for delays to clear). All of this waiting around and required non-flying time leaves way for some ample downtime, ideal for enjoying the comfortable lifestyle afforded by an average annual salary of $66,521, as reported by Nuevoo.ca.