It depends. Low paying but fulfilling can come about in a lot of different ways. Benefits can exist in other ways than pay. Many low paying jobs are nonetheless prestigious, highly sought after, and fulfilling, because they have lots of benefits that exist outside of the pay. Many 'elite' cultural jobs are an example.
But you could also end up in low paying and fulfilling that nonetheless make it hard to live off of. Ironically, again, many 'elite' cultural jobs are an example. There is a reason why, in general, people from wealthy families end up working in those jobs. Sometimes they aren't even advertised. Other times they don't pay at all. Your average lower-middle class person can only work in low paying non-profit cultural jobs so long before taking an exit ramp for the for-profit world and higher pay.
Non-profit work is extremely org and team dependant. Lots of orgs will take advantage of people doing non-profit work. They will use the idea of 'doing good' as an excuse to force overtime, pile stress on people, and use theoretical better pay as a carrot on the end of a stick. Non-profits can also be extremely donor dependant, which is a side of the 'industry' that leaves a sour-taste in many mouths; there's a lot of sucking up to wealthy people.
Government work can be extremely fulfilling and, relative to the median wage of people in America, can actually be quite well paid. The benefits are usually also amazing. It can also be slow, bureaucratic to levels you simply cannot believe, and depressing, however; working in government requires a certain mindset and expectations that some people simply don't have.
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It depends. Low paying but fulfilling can come about in a lot of different ways. Benefits can exist in other ways than pay. Many low paying jobs are nonetheless prestigious, highly sought after, and fulfilling, because they have lots of benefits that exist outside of the pay. Many 'elite' cultural jobs are an example.
But you could also end up in low paying and fulfilling that nonetheless make it hard to live off of. Ironically, again, many 'elite' cultural jobs are an example. There is a reason why, in general, people from wealthy families end up working in those jobs. Sometimes they aren't even advertised. Other times they don't pay at all. Your average lower-middle class person can only work in low paying non-profit cultural jobs so long before taking an exit ramp for the for-profit world and higher pay.
Non-profit work is extremely org and team dependant. Lots of orgs will take advantage of people doing non-profit work. They will use the idea of 'doing good' as an excuse to force overtime, pile stress on people, and use theoretical better pay as a carrot on the end of a stick. Non-profits can also be extremely donor dependant, which is a side of the 'industry' that leaves a sour-taste in many mouths; there's a lot of sucking up to wealthy people.
Government work can be extremely fulfilling and, relative to the median wage of people in America, can actually be quite well paid. The benefits are usually also amazing. It can also be slow, bureaucratic to levels you simply cannot believe, and depressing, however; working in government requires a certain mindset and expectations that some people simply don't have.