If you're like thousands of other job seekers, you may dream of earning the big bucks without having to deal with the extreme stress that goes hand-in-hand with top-paying jobs. Of course, a high-salary, low-stress job sounds too good to be true. Or is it?

Believe it or not, you don't have to take on a heart-pounding career as a brain surgeon, airline pilot or stock broker to bring home some serious bacon. As a matter of fact, some of the highest-stress jobs pay surprisingly scanty salaries. Just think about police officers, firefighters and social workers. These folks have quite possibly the most nerve-racking jobs in the world, yet most of them earn less than $45,000 a year. What about combat soldiers who face death on a daily basis? They typically earn less than $30,000 a year.

In other words, high stress does not always equal a hefty salary, or vice versa. Fortunately, there are plenty of laid-back career choices that pay quite generously.

Physical therapist
Although physical therapists (PT) work in the notoriously stressful medical field, they enjoy some unique advantages over ER nurses and doctors. First of all, PTs have flexible hours and generally aren't expected to work nights. Secondly, many physical therapists are self-employed — which means they don't have to deal with the stress of a boss breathing down their neck while they work.

Plus, as the massive baby boomer generation continues grow older and face new physical challenges, PTs are constantly flooded with patients. As a result, physical therapists rarely suffer from dry spells.

To top it all off, physical therapists can earn anywhere between $50,000 to $105,000 a year. Now that's therapeutic.

Computer software engineer
If you're a tech geek seeking a relatively low-pressure career, you may want to check out the software engineering field. Software engineers design and test a variety of different types of software, from computer games to operating systems to business applications. These days, many software engineers can work from home, since their jobs can be done from practically anywhere.

Software engineers also bring home steep salaries, normally ranging between $54,000 to $130,000 a year. There's nothing nerdy about that.

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Civil engineer
Civil engineers design and build our nation's infrastructure, from public buildings and roads to water supply and pollution control systems. Obviously, these projects aren't pressure-free, but civil engineers generally work in teams, which helps alleviate some of the stress. As a bonus, these experts also enjoy long deadlines. As a matter of fact, most engineers have a few years to design and plan out a project before the construction company even breaks ground.

Even less stressful? Civil engineers don't have to work too hard to hunt down jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, civil engineers are expected to see a 24 percent spike in employment growth over the next 10 years — well above average for all U.S. occupations. Civil engineers bring home a respectable $50,000 to $115,000 a year.

Massage therapist
Massage therapy is an extremely low-pressure, relaxing career for most people. (As long as the thought of touching a stranger's back doesn't drive your stress level through the roof, of course.) Not only are most massage therapists self-employed, but they also get to smell soothing aromatherapy scents and listen to calming background music or ocean sounds all day while they work.

Because many massage therapists work part time, yearly salaries vary wildly in this field. However, most of these massaging masters charge by the hour. On average, they earn between $10 to $35 an hour.

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