Technology and engineering companies have long had an image problem when it comes to work-life balance: Thought to have hard-driving, intense cultures with all-night hackathons, the jobs have become synonymous with always-on work. And while that may be true in many cases, a new analysis by the careers Web site Glassdoor finds that tech and engineering jobs are among the best-ranked careers for workers who want to find some kind of balance between their professional and personal lives.
On Tuesday, Glassdoor released its list of the 25 jobs that had the highest rating for work-life balance over the past year from workers who filled out reviews on its site. Reviewers rate their jobs on a scale of one to five, with a "one" being dissatisfaction with the amount of balance in their lives and a "five" being something akin to work-life nirvana.
Among the 25 jobs listed, roughly half are engineering jobs or careers with a big technology component, ranging from software engineers to Web designers. That could be because the tech-driven nature of those jobs allows them to be done anywhere, or exist in companies with more generous policies toward remote work or unconventional hours. Higher salaries and more job openings - which give employees more control over their careers and the ability to negotiate for better working conditions - could also play a role in helping those careers end up on the list.
Traditionally flexible jobs such as substitute teaching, meanwhile, make up only a small part of the list.
For a job title to be considered for Glassdoor's report, they had to have at least 75 work-life balance ratings from a minimum of 75 companies over the past year, as well as include "work-life balance" or similar terms as a "pro" of the job in at least 15 percent of reviews. The job titles also had to have at least 200 active job openings to be considered.
While people in these careers may think their lives are relatively balanced in today's 24/7 work world, overall, work-life balance has decreased in recent years, according to Glassdoor's data. In 2009, people reported an average rating of 3.5, which fell to 3.4 in 2012 and 3.2 so far in 2015.
Here's the list:
1. Data Scientist
Work-life balance rating: 4.2
Average reported annual salary: $114,808
2. SEO Manager
Work-life balance rating: 4.1
Average reported annual salary: $45,720
3. Talent Acquisition Specialist
Work-life balance rating: 4.0
Average reported annual salary: $63,504
4. Social Media Manager
Work-life balance rating: 4.0
Average reported annual salary: $40,000
5. Substitute Teacher
Work-life balance rating: 3.9
Average reported annual salary: $24,380
6. Recruiting Coordinator
Work-life balance rating: 3.9
Average reported annual salary: $44,700
7. UX Designer
Work-life balance rating: 3.9
Average reported annual salary: $91,440
8. Digital Marketing Manager
Work-life balance rating: 3.9
Average reported annual salary: $70,052
9. Marketing Assistant
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $32,512
10. Web Developer
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $66,040
11. Risk Analyst
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $69,088
12. Civil Engineer
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $65,532
13. Client Manager
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $71,120
14. Instructional Designer
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $66,040
15. Marketing Analyst
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $60,000
16. Software QA Engineer
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $91,440
17. Web Designer
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $53,848
18. Research Technician
Work-life balance rating: 3.8
Average reported annual salary: $36,525
19. Program Analyst
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $71,120
20. Data Analyst
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $58,928
21. Content Manager
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $60,960
22. Solutions Engineer
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $92,456
23. Lab Assistant
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $27,550
24. Software Developer
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $80,000
25. Front End Developer
Work-life balance rating: 3.7
Average reported annual salary: $75,000
