In a country where you’re told you can be anything you want to be, what does the ultimate dream job even look like to the average American? Are most dream jobs ones in which you’re the boss—or do a majority of Americans have the cliché standbys of being a lawyer, a doctor or a teacher?
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In order find out, MidAmerica Nazarene University recently conducted a survey with 2,000 Americans to see what their dream jobs were, how much money they made and who exactly in the country had one of these coveted positions.
Americans Want to be Their Own Boss—but Don’t Want Long Hours
One of the most abundantly clear things that was revealed on this jobs survey was how much workers wanted a sense of independence or autonomy in their dream job. In fact, 41% of respondents indicated they want to be business owners. The only catch? The majority of respondents said they would be unwilling to own their own business if it meant they had to work more than 60 hours per week.
But not everyone on the survey dreamed of being their own boss, with 12% who said their dream job was a C-suite title, 23% who wanted a mid-level management role and 18% who dreamed of just having an associate position.
Beyond titles, the survey asked the respondents more specific information about what the day-to-day looks like in a dream job such as location, industry, commute, travel and even what kind of lunch break this job would have. Here’s what the dream job looks like broken down:
- Location: California
- Type of commute: Drive
- Distance from work: Less than two miles
- Hours: Between 9 and 5
- Industry: Entertainment
- Travel expected: Twice a month
- Relationships with coworkers: Strictly professional
- Lunch break duration: One hour
- Company size: Fewer than 30 people
- Paid time off per year: 52 days (note: the average American worker gets 15 days)
- Average work week: 38 hours
- Option to work remote: 11 days per month
What’s the Dream Salary?
When you talk about jobs, the discussion inevitably leads to money. So how much does the American dream job make? Unsurprisingly, this depends on who you ask.
The men on the survey said on average that their dream salary would be $444,958 per year while women said they would love a job that made $278,637—a $166,321 difference. There were also differences in opinions on what the most important perks were in a dream job. Men who were surveyed said the most important perks were a matched 401k, followed by help with student loans, a gym membership, office snacks and the ability to work remotely. For women, their top dream perk was also a matched 401k, but they placed working remotely at a higher priority, followed by help with student loans, a flexible schedule, and unlimited vacation.
The survey also asked participants what their main priority would be in their dream job. For men, their top priority was a great income, flexibility, and creative freedom. For women, the dream job looked a bit different with flexibility at the top, followed by creative freedom and then, finally, income.
Who Has the American Dream Job?
One of the most telling data points from the survey was just how few people claimed to have their dream job—with only 25% saying their current job was their dream job. But if you don’t currently have your dream job, what is it that you want to do?
Many of the respondents who weren’t crazy about their 9 to 5 spent much of their time daydreaming about a job in entertainment—and specifically those who were in the following industries:
- Administration
- Finance
- Hospitality & Food
- Industrial
- Infrastructure
- Insurance
- Marketing & Advertising
- Professional Services
- Real Estate
- Retail
- Those who are currently unemployed
So, who on the survey was most likely to have their dream job currently? Here’s what the data showed:
- Someone with a high salary
- A member of the Baby Boomer generation
- A doctorate degree recipient
- A person who lives in the Southwest portion of the country
What this survey shows is that while Americans have a pretty specific vision of the perks and benefits of a dream position, the scope and job title are a little more open-ended. What’s clear is this: Workers want more flexibility, a bigger income—and help with student loan debt.
Matthew Zajechowsk is a Senior Content Strategist at Digital Third Coast. He is passionate about all things content and trending news. Connect with him on Twitter or LinkedIn.