Would you rather get up early and get work out of the way so you can enjoy your day, or are you the type to function best after the sun sets? Finding the type of employment right for your needs and your natural habits could help to make it easier to go to work each day.

Options for Night Owls

For those who like to get home as the sun is rising, a variety of job options are available.

Registered Nurses – Nurses are a key component of the healthcare industry as they provide ongoing care and medical attention to a patient while he or she remains in the hospital. Additionally, with a 2010 median pay average of $64,690 per year or $31.10 an hour, the compensation is a good draw as well. Duties include coordinating patient care, aiding in recovery from various health conditions, providing emotional support and providing advice to patients while they are in the nursing facility or hospital setting. Nursing degrees are required to practice as an RN.

Air Traffic Controllers – These professionals work in control towers in airports or other approach control facilities. The job requires complete concentration to help planes land safely and to control the airspace in any given region. For this amount of work, you can expect to earn $51.94 per hour or $108,040 per year, based on the 2010 median pay.

Security Workers or Safety Forces – Protecting people while they sleep, or protecting assets while the owner sleeps, is a job that brings in about $11.72 per hour or $24,380 annually, according to 2010 median pay averages. The job includes working in various environments including public buildings, stores, office buildings and other properties requiring security. The job involves providing surveillance and inspecting the grounds for any risks including vandalism, theft, fire or illegal activity.

Jobs for Early Birds

For those who would rather get up at dawn, there are some well-paying jobs to fit your desires.

Baker or Pastry Chef – Bakers make all sorts of goodies and they have to get up early to ensure the foods are prepared and ready to go as soon as people start their day. They mix ingredients to make pastries, breads and other baked goods. Some work in grocery stores while others work in full-service restaurants. The highest earners work in their own bakeries, though the median wage for this industry is $23,450 per year or $11.27 per hour working for others.

Morning News Anchor – Inform people as they start their day as a news anchor or reporter in the early morning shift. You could make as much as $36,000 per year or $17.31 per hour providing people with news and event happenings both locally and around the world. Correspondents conduct interviews, investigate stories and generate reports on whatever is happening.

Garbage Collectors – Getting up to the fresh smell of garbage may not seem glamorous but this job can have you earning up to $20.65 per hour or $42,000 per year. The individual drives from one home or business to the next collecting the trash put out. Some positions start as early as 5 a.m. The job is labor intensive since you will need to do a lot of lifting.

Teacher – Teachers start their day early by educating youth about a variety of subjects including math, reading and social studies. Kindergarten and elementary teachers prepare lesson plans, educate the students through various methods of interactions and grade papers in both public and private schools. For this, they earn $51,380 per year.

Which career choice is yours? Are you a morning or a night person? Sometimes, choosing the right time of day to work can help you perform your best on the job.

* Salary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

About the Author: This article was written by Allie Gray Freeland, Editor in Chief of CollegeOnline.org, a guide to online schools and online degrees.