Like the song says, it seems like everybody’s working for the weekend. Now imagine if your typical weekend was three or four days long. Does that sound like a dream come true? There can be drawbacks to a short work week. Shorter work weeks sometimes mean longer shifts. Still, a four day weekend is very appealing, and if you’re considering a career change or looking at online degree programs, it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
You might think you would need to take a pay cut to get a perk like a three day work week, but that isn’t the case. There are some very high paying jobs with shorter weeks. Many of them don’t even require four year degrees! We’ve compiled a list of booming careers with good pay where three day work weeks are common.
Radiologic and MRI Technologists
Healthcare jobs are known for having longer shift times and Radiologic Technologists are no different. A three day work week with 12 hour shifts is common for this career, and, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for this position is $60,070/year. The good news is that Radiologic and MRI Technologists only go to school for two years, so this is a great track for a career change.
Flight Attendants
You guessed it, flight attendants do not work typical work weeks. Schedules can vary depending on flight assignments, and shifts are often longer than 8 hours. Flight attendants often get interesting employment perks like flexible schedules and heavily reduced airfare. Training for this career usually takes 1-2 months and is provided by the employer. Best of all, their median pay is $50,500/year.
Firefighters
No doubt you’ve seen firefighters on tv who sleep and eat meals at their fire station. That’s because it’s not unusual for firefighters to work 24 hour shifts. It is a career that requires a lot of dedication and can be very dangerous, but it’s also one where the need for downtime is well understood. Typically a firefighter has 2-3 days off after a 24 hour shift. Generally, firefighters train as EMTs in 1-2 year programs, then receive further education provided by their department after they are hired. Average pay for a firefighter is $49,080/year.
If you’re thinking about a new career path, why not consider an occupation with a three day work week option? You may be able to maintain or improve your salary with the benefits of more days off!
