Survey: Most U.S. workers like their job, but want higher pay

According to a new survey, workers enjoy and feel secure in their careers, but two-thirds think they should get more money.

A Pew Research Center study released Tuesday shows that the majority of workers in the U.S. enjoy their jobs. The survey found that 50% are extremely satisfied with their work and 35% are somewhat satisfied.

White workers were the likeliest to say they were satisfied with their work, 55%, followed by Black, 43%, Hispanic, 44%, and Asian, 42%, employees. 

However, only about 30% of surveyed workers said they were extremely satisfied with their pay, mirroring another 30% who said they weren’t at all satisfied with their pay. Among the 30% who said they were dissatisfied, the main grievances were pay not keeping up with living expenses and the pay being too low for the quantity/quality of work performed. 

Still, most workers are in their jobs for the long haul, with over 50% of workers thinking of their job as a career. Comparatively, about 15% of the workers say their job is a stepping stone to another, better job and 35% say their job is just there to get them by. 

Additionally, most workers feel a healthy sense of job security, with only 13% reporting having little or no job security.