If you’re caught in an agonizing search for the perfect career path, our list of the 20 most respected professions in the world in 2020 is likely to ease your suffering a little.
Public perception is a metric some people consider when choosing a job. Certain professions come with laurels and others (professional assassin being one example) don’t. To some degree, less ethical professions are less respected (again, professional assassin being a valuable example). Then again, certain criminals like Al Capone are immortalized in popular culture and sometimes even revered. Fictional characters who may be criminals but have certain “redeeming traits” such as unparalleled intelligence are also considered exceptional, even as their criminality is acknowledged. But I’m going off track here!
The above is just one reason why I personally don’t resonate with the concept of going into a well-respected professional field. Respect not only varies by demographic and class, but also by one’s notion of what respect really is.
Does respect equal to cultural ideas of what professions are “better” than others? For those of you looking for the most respected professions in India, becoming a doctor is considered a worthy career direction. It’s a “safe” profession that saves lives. But this idea (prevalent in the world and not just in India) is a historical idea that doesn’t take into account how drastically professions have changed. For example, if taking into account the metric of saving lives, perhaps you’re more likely to end up doing that as a medical researcher, developing new potential cures for diseases, or as a technical engineer, working on making cheaper medical equipment and thereby improving access to healthcare.
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The monetary worth of professional labour is also something taken into account. Often people who earn more, despite how much or how little their contribution to society, are respected more. If you’re interested in learning about the top highest paying jobs in the world, this list should help.
In my opinion, class always factors into respect. The rich, the upper echelon of society, are nearly always looked up to. Prestige is pretty much synonymous with class distinction, or what the most well-off people in society value. Occupational prestige is actually a sociological term, so if you’re interested in the most prestigious jobs, this Wikipedia article might be right up your alley.
Personally, I feel that personal fulfillment comes first, followed by job security. The most rewarding careers generally include social work, firefighting, teaching, etc. In short, any job where you feel like you’re truly making a meaningful difference in a way that matters to you is likely a good one! That being said, the world is rapidly changing and that uncertainty can be frightening. For the most in demand jobs, take a look at the jobs that will always be in demand. For the best jobs for the future, see our creative take on what professions the future will create.
For the Americans in our reading audience, if you’re looking to see how our list has changed over the years, here‘s our article on the most respected jobs in America in 2017.
Back to our list of the most respected professions in the world in 2020! Of all the traits determining respect, fame is at the forefront. Whether that’s because of our existential fear of being forgotten or of the immediacy of the love and attention that celebrity status endows, fame is important to a lot of us, and to many it’s a way to measure their impact on the world. Using SocialBlade’s ranking of the top 500 Twitter profiles, we made a list of the professions of these world-famous individuals. We are certain our article uses a much better methodology than the articles that are published on other sites that claim that “nurses are more respected than everyone else”. You are going to agree with our #1 pick.
Now on to the most respected professions in the world in 2020!
20. YouTuber
YouTube has taken the world by the storm with its vast potential for jobs. Personally, I think a career as a YouTuber is pretty cool. After all, you get to work on your own time, and you get to upload videos for whatever you want. From video-game commentators to yoga instructors, youtubers are a diverse community. That being said, this is far from the most secure of careers. Your YouTube career is contingent on how many views you get, and with so much content out there, it’s difficult to gain attention.
Pixabay/Public Domain
19. Religious Scholar
Becoming a religious scholar is not often how children answer the “what do you want to be when you grow up?” question. That being said, religion is and will always play an important role in shaping societies, and with more and more technological advancement and cultural shifts, ethical questions abound, and religious communities seek to answer them by interpreting religious texts. As a religious scholar, you could well be one of the people answering those questions.
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18. DJ
Religious scholar and now…DJ! Our list of the most respected professions in the world in 2020 promises to be unexpected. Odds are, disc jockey is not what you’d typically consider a hallowed profession. However, when mixing music, DJs are often able to create unique sounds, completely different from the original songs they’re derived from. This is probably why certain DJs are more successful than others, Kygo, David Guetta, and Marshmello being just a few.
Pixabay/Public Domain
17. Film Composer
In my opinion, having a unique soundtrack is absolutely integral to any film that desires to offer a good viewing experience. Certain scores become defining elements of the cinematic tradition, Bernard Hermann’s composition for Psycho being one classic example. From Randy Newman’s iconic work for the Toy Story franchise to Hans Zimmer’s moving works for Interstellar and Inception amidst others, countless examples of enduring art abound in the film composer profession.
Pixabay/Public Domain
16. Diplomat
In spite of the reservations you may have about the efficacy of diplomacy, it’s still important in reaching consensus. Diplomacy is the medium through which Stalin and Churchill shook hands and joined forces against Hitler in World War II. In our modern globalized economy, diplomacy is more important than ever in effecting positive change.
Pixabay/Public Domain
15. Actor
Acting has always been a surefire path to success. One could question, however, whether the wealth concentrated in Hollywood and the booming film industry is well-deserved. It’s interesting when films themselves question this inequality with movies like Parasite. Nonetheless, acting is the central component of film and few can deny that films are art and constitute a significant part of a society’s culture and values. If you’re able to make it in Hollywood, acting is the way to go.
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14. Model
With the growth of consumerism and a booming fashion industry has come the expanding realm of modelling. Models like Kendall Jenner own and earn millions. Models also have prominent social media personas because they’re so ubiquitous. The modelling industry has, however, promoted problematic beauty standards and unrealistic ideals of what people “should” look like. Models like Ashley Graham, however, are looking to change this.
Pixabay/Public Domain
13. Technology Entrepreneur
Individuals like Elon Musk are prized precisely for their authentic, unrivalled creativity. Technology, with its incredible versatility, is a valuable field in which to step in and make outrageous, (and sometimes winning) suggestions. In light of the recent pandemic, the world’s dependency on technology has come into sharp relief. Perhaps this emphasis on social distancing will lead to new ideas in tech in the future.
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12. Cricketer
Although not very popular in the western hemisphere, cricketing is an adored sport in South Asia, Australia, and the UK amidst other regions, thus earning a spot in the most respected professions in the world in 2020. Having grown up experiencing the euphoria of a cricket match and the adoration (or resentment!) that the star players receive at the close, I’m certain that cricket is a captivating sport and any talented player should definitely gravitate towards it, perhaps winning stardom on par with players like Virat Kohli and Shane Warne.
Pixabay/Public Domain
11. Astrophysicist
Even history has records of humanity’s enduring fascination with space. In the modern day and age, however, with technology advancing at a dizzying pace, space and all its mysteries are open for us to explore. Moreover, there’s nothing better than a friendly scientist who bridges the gap between esoteric calculations and the public’s understanding of science. Neil Degrasse Tyson, I’m looking at you.
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10. Stand-Up Comedian
Stand-up comedy is a unique performance in itself. Comedy aside, what singles out a good comedian is his authenticity, his intelligence, and his profound understanding of human psychology. Although comedy can, sometimes, tread the line between what is acceptable and what’s not, as a whole comedians prompt a sociological dissection of society and its values. To Kevin Hart, Hassan Minhaj, and the many comedians who make us laugh: thank you!
Pixabay/Public Domain
9. Media Executive
The next profession on our list of the most respected professions in the world in 2020 is media executive. The fact that a profession wielding immense control in the media industry made it on our list is unsurprising, because media is truly everywhere. Perhaps this one will spark your interest, if none of the others have so far!
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8. NBA Player
The world’s most well-known basketball league is bound to churn out some legendary basketball players: Kevin Durant (who recently tested positive for and then recovered from the coronavirus, LeBron James, and many more household names. Becoming an NBA player isn’t easy when you’re up against the best, but if you make it, you’re sure to gain some spotlight.
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7. Business Magnate
Sundar Pichai, Warren Buffet, Donald Trump. What do they all have in common? They’re all incredibly rich and profoundly influential names in business. Being CEO or chairman of a large company (or group of companies) is a surefire way for you to land some respect.
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6. Journalist
In today’s day and age, ethical journalism is a valuable profession. To be able to sift through misinformation and eliminate bias to whatever degree possible whilst also captivating your audience is a rare gift, and it’s a way to become the next Anderson Cooper or Louis Theroux.
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5. Media Personality
Media personality comes next on our list of the most respected professions in the world in 2020, and it’s deliberately vague. Why? We don’t know how to define it either! Anybody from Kim Kardashian to Oprah can be classed as a media personality, but in the modern day and age, it seems a legitimate enough…occupation? No matter how you choose to define your presence on social media, if you’re successful in doing so, you may just become the next household name.
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4. Talk Show Host
Personally, I like the concept of talk shows, although all the celebrity buzz could be reduced a little! Talk show hosts, depending on their personalities, can give the show a unique characteristic “flavour.” What drives the show in my opinion, is the host, and often these hosts are comedic, without being controversial like the average stand-up comedian. No wonder people like Jimmy Fallon are so beloved!
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3. Soccer Star
Even though I’ve never been interested in soccer in my life (despite my best efforts) I’m well aware of the sheer popularity of this sport. It’s incredible how much certain soccer players and clubs are worth. At any rate, the sport enjoys a tremendous fan following, and if you found praise in your after-school soccer tryouts, perhaps becoming a soccer player is the way to go.
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2. Singer/Rapper
Becoming a singer? Pretty lucrative! With streaming services like Spotify freely available, the music industry is back to growing. In the meanwhile, singers like Rihanna and Beyonce continue to rack up millions, not to mention rappers like Eminem with their unique styles. If you happen to have a good voice (and of course, you enjoy belting out a good tune) singer/rapper wouldn’t be the worst way to go; provided, of course, that you find a way to evade the exhausting consequences of being part of such a consumer-oriented industry.
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1. President
Now we’re here, at the number 1 profession on our list of the most respected professions in the world in 2020.
Presidency! The answer’s fairly obvious. If you were president, you would definitely be respected…no matter how questionable your credentials or your actions undertaken while on the job. At any rate, leading a country certainly puts you in the spotlight, and well, it’s a lot of hard work. An ambitious career choice, should you choose to take it.
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