[Top 15] The Sims 4 Best Careers in 2023

Updated:

31 May 2023

The all time favorite life simulation franchise has always brought us new ways to play with life, and in The Sims 4, the options are more plentiful and expansive than ever before. Sims are able to be employed by themselves as a salesperson or artist, or could choose a route that is more corporate based, such as working a career in business or as an entertainer. If none of those sound fitting for your virtual character, take your chances as a scientist or become an interior designer; the possibilities are endless.

All of the careers in the game are entertaining and progress gameplay to some extent, and in this compilation, we review some of the best careers that will be beneficial to different types of Sims. If your Sim is a vampiric creature of the night or just trying to fulfill the fabulously wealthy lifetime goal; your career match can be found here!

15. Paranormal investigator (best for spellcasters)

Solve hauntings on a number of different lot types.

The Paranormal Investigator career came with one of the most simple yet interesting packs, the Paranormal Stuff pack. This stuff pack is full of new content that brings 70s fashion and the ability to turn residential lots into haunted houses. Not only does this add a whole new type of gameplay to The Sims 4, but it also brings the medium skill, which has new unlockable abilities that come as your Sim progresses through the skill.

After you reach the top of the medium skill, you will be able to obtain a paranormal investigation license, which will allow your Sims to help clients get rid of spirits on both residential and commercial lots. Another way to get into the career is to purchase a paranormal investigator license through lifetime rewards, although that is not recommended since reaching max medium skill is essential to this career. Spellcaster Sims will quickly gain the medium skill, making this an amazing fit for magical Sims.

What is Great about the Paranormal Investigator Career:

Collect spooky items and keep them, or sell them for money and fame.
Communicate with spirits and help clients get rid of hauntings on their lot.
Play through the career with every step, removing cursed objects and creating seance circles.
Get rid of spirits or communicate with them and see the outcome.
Accept gigs that are fitting to your Sims schedule.

How Much Sims can earn in the Paranormal Investigator Career:

Varies from Gig to Gig.

How to Become a Paranormal Investigator:

Reach level 5 of the medium skill and ask Guidry the ghost to help you become a Paranormal Investigator.
Purchase the Paranormal Investigator license lifetime reward.

14. Fashion photographer (best for popularity)

Get to know all types of Sims while capturing the best of Sims 4 fashion.

Working as a fashion photographer in the Sims 4 gives players the chance to build a home photoshoot studio using the Moschino Stuff Pack. Freelance fashion photographers can hire a fashion subject for $100 or use someone they know as their model and can change their outfits, hairstyles, and accessories to match with any look the photographer is going for.

This career is amazing for Sims who have popularity aspirations because the photographer will gain relationships with all of their new fashion subjects, constantly getting to know a fresh set of faces.

What is Great about the Fashion Photographer Career:

Work on your own terms and schedule gigs that are fitting to your Sim.
Build a home studio and work from the comfort of your own space.
Meet a wide array of clients from children to elders, all of whom your Sim will become friends with after the photo shoot.
Gain fame with every successful photo shoot, all while gaining experience in the photography skill.
Give your Sims a fashionable makeover that will leave a personal touch on your game.

How Much Sims can earn in the Fashion Photographer Career:

$200-$5,000 Per Gig

How to Become a Fashion Photographer:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Fashion Photographer’, but remember, you have to apply for gigs to get paid!

13. Detective (best for genius Sims)

Head over to the police station and begin your first case.

Playable careers in the Sims franchise are especially memorable due to the busy nature that they offer, giving the players endless interactive activities while their Sim is on the clock. In the Detective career, genius Sims excel, as finding clues and interrogating suspects is key.

Sims in the detective career spend their days traveling to crime scenes to talk to suspects and witnesses when they are not busy filing reports at the police station.

What is Great about the Detective Career:

Active gameplay that allows you to follow your Sims through their workday, from crime scenes to interrogations.
Take on cases that your Sim will have to solve by using evidence and photographs as well as witness reports.
Book criminals that are behind bars by taking their fingerprints and mugshot.
Visit the crime lab and process results; gain your Sims logic skill for better outcomes.
Meet Sims all around the world and serve justice.

How Much Sims can earn in the Detective Career:

Between $20-$265 per hour

How to Become a Detective:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Detective’. In order to advance in this career, you have to actively play your Sim while they are at their workplace.
Optional: Use a Psychology degree to boost your Sims career level.

12. Scientist (best for nerd brain trait)

Travel to space, create inventions, and craft serums.

Another fun and interactive career in The Sims 4 is the scientist career, which allows Sims to travel to a science lab in the middle of the desert for their workday. They are surrounded with huge technology and other smart workers all day, pushing them to perform only in the most focused environment.

Scientists create inventions and serums that alter the lives of your favorite Sims, all while providing different effects or outcomes. Will your Sim make the technology that turns tomorrow into a technological wonderland or will they bring destruction to their neighborhood?

What is Great about the Scientist Career:

Experiment with new inventions and serums or even travel to outer space and meet with aliens while attending a work day with your Sims in the scientist career.
Create devices that will alter your Sim's life, from a SimRay that can freeze others to a cloning machine that can clone objects and other Sims.
Become dedicated to discovering new knowledge or use your abilities to become a mad scientist.
Travel to the alien planet of Sixam to meet extraterrestrial beings or to find rare collectibles.
Create serums that have different effects, from aging your Sim backwards to temporarily turning your Sim into a ghost.

How Much Sims can earn in the Scientist Career:

Between $24-$247 per hour.

How to Become a Scientist:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Scientist’. In order to advance in this career, you have to actively play your Sim while they are at their workplace.
Optional: Use a Physics degree to advance your Sims career level.

11. Medical (best career rewards)

Take care of patients by figuring out their illnesses.

Playing as a doctor in The Sims 4 offers the chance to meet unique neighbors and coworkers; all of whom could be socialized with to advance your Sims career.

This career gives players another opportunity to visit your Sims workplace, allowing you to treat patients from their medical beds or chat with your fellow nurses in the break room. Another advantage is that being in the medical career also offers some amazing rewards that can be used to build a doctors office in your own house, and even offers an extra trait; sickness resistance.

What is Great about the Medical Career:

Meet patients that have different illnesses, such as bloaty head or the llama flu.
Diagnose your patients and run tests on them with an x-ray machine, treadmill, or perform operations on the surgery table.
Deliver babies as a surgeon, take house visits to deliver medicines to patients, and care for Sims of all ages.
Befriend coworkers or make a workplace enemy for some medical drama.
Cure Sims or refer them to a doctor of a higher level.

How Much Sims can earn in the Medical Career:

Between $18-$280 per hour.

How to Become a Doctor:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Doctor’. In order to advance in this career, you have to actively play your Sim while they are at their workplace.
Optional: Use a Biology degree to advance your Sims career level.

10. Critic (best for creative Sims)

Become an icon in the city by providing your opinion on art or food.

Sims that are more ruthless than others will thrive as a critic, especially since it is based around reviewing the best (and worst) restaurants or art. By taking on this job, your Sims are ultimately able to specialize as an art or food critic. Each of these career paths have the option to be played from home as well, giving players full control over the city’s best critics.

These influential Sims can also gain fame by posting columns online and can even recommend places that other Sims should visit. Another great advantage of this career is that once Sims reach the top of their career, they get a special trait depending on which path they take.

What is Great about the Critic Career:

Discover the worlds of either Art or Food, gaining either cooking or painting skills, as you climb the ladder as a critic.
Decide to work from home and complete tasks around the world to fulfill business needs, advancing your career.
Gain fame as your Sims post their opinions and reviews online.
Review art and street performances as an art critic or review a bar or restaurant as a food critic.
Art Critics unlock discounted art at a high level, as food critics at a high level nearly always cook amazing quality food or higher.

How Much Sims can earn in the Critic Career:

Between $21-$441 per hour.

How to Become a Critic:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Critic’. Sims can become an Art of Food Critic after they finish the primary career levels.
Optional: Use an Art History degree to advance your Sims career level.

9. Law (best for research and debate)

Your Sims can now become a lawyer or a judge thanks to this career.

The law career is a fun addition that comes with the Discover University expansion pack, as it allows your Sims to fully exercise the new research and debate skill.

This career allows Sims to utilize research and debate to full capacity while taking on duties as a judge or private attorney, with options to take on different clients and to visit the university as a guest speaker. This career option also comes with a prestigious office set that is sure to make any Sim feel like a professional.

What is Great about the Law Career:

Work as a Judge or a private attorney, gathering clients and reviewing cases while making a large salary in higher levels of the career.
Sharpen your Sims mind and tongue by increasing their research and debate, charisma, and logic skills.
Build new friendships with clients, allowing you to win cases.
Make a home law office with career rewards like an elite bookshelf, a professional desk, and a big chair.
Go to the university as a guest speaker to earn $750.

How Much Sims can earn in the Law Career:

Between $15-$450 per hour.

How to Become a Lawyer/ Private Attorney:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Law’.
Optional: Use a History degree to advance your Sims career level.

8. Secret Agent (best for charisma)

Become a Diamond Agent or a Supervillain with this career from the Sims 4 base game.

Live a double life as a secret agent with this base game career that is brand new to the Sims franchise. The sSecret Agent career allows Sims to experience a James-Bond inspired career that is based around spies and villains, as those are the two career branches offered for Secret Agents.

This career offers fun achievable items which allow Simmers to turn any room in their Sims homes into a secret lair. Another cool feature about this career is that Sims gain the ability to discover any Sim’s traits through the computer. Is your Sim ready for the secret double life of a secret agent?

What is Great about the Secret Agent Career:

Investigate Sims online to learn their traits or search through the intelligence database.
New James Bond inspired unlockable content that will help you build a secret lair.
Fun and simple career choices that make a large income.
Wear new outfits, the diamond agent tuxedo or the villain uniform.
Short work weeks with high pay at advanced career levels.

How Much Sims can earn in the Secret Agent Career:

Between $17-$515 per hour.

How to Become a Secret Agent:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Secret Agent’. After completing the primary stages, your Sim can be either a diamond agent or a villain.
Optional: use a Psychology or Villainy degree to advance your Sims career level.

7. Independent Business (best for large families)

Run a business from home, sell collectibles, or make money off of hobbies.

Sims that do not wish to conform to the norm of a 9 to 5 schedule may choose to run a business by their own means. Although it might take some skill, effort, and networking, anything can be done with an independent business, from selling art and clothes to working as a mixologist at a busy bar.

This business strategy is great for Sims who have large families as well, as it allows them to spend more time with the ones they love while keeping a steady income.

What is Great about an Independent Business:

Make use of your Sims hobbies by selling their creations for money, whether it be paintings or soda.
Run your business from home.
Avoid getting bored from work since it is completely run by you. You make your Sims schedule!
Spend more of your Sims time with family or doing things they enjoy and sell when needed.
Open a retail store using the Get to Work expansion pack to manage your sellable goods.

How Much Sims can earn with an Independent Business:

Varies from business to business.

How to Start an Independent Business:

Register as ‘self employed’ on your Sims cell phone. Sims who choose to do this run their own business by their own means, so all of the money making is 100% up to you!

6. Home Designer (best for builders)

Bring every home to life in your game by adding personal touch in this career.

If you are a builder, then you will definitely enjoy my personal favorite career in the Sims 4; the Home Designer career! With this fun and interactive job, you get to follow your Sims around town to redesign the homes of your neighbors.

There are simple gigs that only require the renovation of a single room and others that require the renovation of an entire lot, with the preferences of each NPC playing into hand every time. Not only does this career allow players to add a personal touch to every virtual home, Home designers also build relationships with their clients rather quickly.

What is Great about the Home Designer Career:

Unleash your creativity by designing the homes of all Sims in the neighborhood.
Learn about your clients and create a customized experience for them based on their color, hobby, and design preferences.
Enhance your photography skill by taking before and after photos, building your portfolio.
Complete gigs from single room makeovers to full home renovations.
Work with your clients budget and get paid good amounts for your work.

How Much Sims can earn in the Home Designer Career:

Payments vary, but advanced levels could make a high weekly income.

How to Become a Home Designer:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Interior Decorator’.

5. Actor (best for fame)

Make your name known by appearing in commercials, TV shows, and movies.

The Sims 4 Get Famous brought acting in the franchise to a new level, as it allowsSims to travel to the backlot to shoot movies, TV shows, and commercials. Actors gain fame quickly since their media is seen by all of the Sims in the world, allowing your Sims popularity to rise with speed.

Being famous will help advance your career as well since it will help you land auditions easier. Fame may also be of assistance in this career since it allows your Sim to network with others in the film industry who have acclaimed stardom. Sims in this career may also win an award if they have high acting skills or if they were well prepared for their role.

What is Great about the Actor Career:

Gain fame and popularity while working with other famous Sims at Plumbob Pictures Backlot.
Give a good performance and be invited to an award show where you may be given a trophy for your talent.
Act on a variety of sets, from children's commercials to superhero movies.
Get a large amount of money while experiencing luxuries, such as having access to a buffet and being pampered on the clock.
Network easily and make new friends with the cast and crew.

How Much Sims can earn in the Actor Career:

Gig payments vary, advanced levels can make $20-$25K per week.

How to Become a Actor:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Actor’. Beginning in this career, Sims can only be in commercials.
Optional: Use a fine arts degree to advance your Sims career level.

4. Civil Designer (best for green friend trait)

Give your world a brighter future by supporting environmentalism.

Sims that want to see a greener world will choose to take up a career in the Civil Designer field. This career allows Sims to work for the city while improving the carbon footprint,ensuring that all Sims in their neighborhood are environmentally aware.

Sims in this career can interview their neighbors about utilities, grow cruelty free meat, and can even be awarded a special trait if they get to the top.

What is Great about the Civil Designer Career:

Find new ways to keep the world green with items that let you grow cruelty-free meat or interactions that can influence Sims to choose a certain neighborhood action plan.
Work from home and interview Sims or vote for the next neighborhood action plan.
Master the logic skill in order to climb to the top.
New wearable hard hats and other rewarded items.
New traits at the top of each career branch.

How Much Sims can earn in the Civil Designer Career:

Between $31-$350 per hour.

How to Become a Civil Designer:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Civil Designer’.
Optional: Use a communications degree to advance your Sims career level.

3. Criminal (best for vampire Sims)

Mischevious and Night owl Sims highly benefit from the Criminal career.

Restless Sims will find passion in the criminal career, as every shift starts early in the evening and runs through the dark hours of the night. Dastardly and mischievous individuals are fitting in this line of work, as criminals are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

The branches in this career are Oracle or Boss once the primary levels are passed, allowing your Sims to become a cyber criminal or a notorious leader out in the streets. This is a good career for vampires specifically because they do not risk getting burned by the sun, just for going to work.

What is Great about the Criminal Career:

A nighttime career that is perfect for vampires or night owls.
Fun reward items, such as a counterfeit kit and a stolen ATM.
Sims who are in advanced levels of this career have few work days while making plentiful simoleons.
Work in either the Boss or Oracle branch, each requiring different skills.
Perform devious interactions that make your Sims dastardly.

How Much Sims can earn in the Criminal Career:

Between $9-$445 per hour.

How to Become a Criminal:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Criminal’.
Optional: Use a villainy degree to advance your Sims career level.

2. Style influencer (best for base game)

Make your mark on the neighborhood with trending styles that your Sim brings to life.

The Style Influencer career was a fun addition to the base game with an update from 2018, and it is one of the best careers in the game to date. This career is great for Sims who want to leave their fashionable footprint on the world through trends and styles, with the ability to work in the branches of either a trendsetter or stylist. This career can get Sims famous as well, since it is required that they share articles for their work from home and daily tasks.

At high levels of this career your Sims will be able to make masculine and feminine trends that you will eventually be able to see around town being worn by other Sims.

What is Great about the Style Influencer Career:

The ability to work from home by submitting columns or interviewing Sims about their outfits.
Gain fame and popularity by submitting articles and reviews.
Take control of the fashion world by becoming an icon who sets trends, and begin seeing Sims wearing your outfits all around the world.
Become an artful Sim as you climb the ladder of this career, learning painting, charisma, and writing skills.
Hone your Sims photography skill with an artful eye.

How Much Sims can earn in the Style Influencer Career:

Between $19-$500 per hour.

How to Become a Style Influencer:

Apply through your Sims phone or computer.
Click ‘Find Job’ under the job screen and find ‘Style Influencer’.
Optional: Use an Art History degree to advance your Sims career level.

1. Military (best for money)

Make a ridiculous amount of simoleons while gaining access to the Strangerville lab.

The Military career that came with the Strangerville game pack is one of the best careers for workaholic Sims who are looking to achieve wealth. This career offers amazing pay from the start, all while gearing your Sims to become more athletic and charismatic.

A huge benefit of the military career is also that someone working in this field can request a keycard to access the Strangerville lab, allowing players to make the town mystery easier to solve.

What is Great about the Military Career: