(Springfield, MO) -- A national magazine features a local professor in it's November issue.  Daniel Beckman teaches at Missouri State University.  He's featured in an article in Money magazine that lists the best jobs in America. The report places "college professor" at number three.

"You've got a lot of flexibility in terms of hours or exactly what research you do," said Daniel Beckman, a professor of biology at Missouri State University.  "It allows me to keep learning and keep exploring through teaching new courses and through research.

And it's that satisfaction, along with the pay and other factors, that led money magazine to rank "college professor" as one of the top five best jobs in America.

Beckman says the group looked for a mid-sized university in the Midwest; they wanted to interview someone with one of these top jobs.

"And somehow they chose me," said Beckman.

Bailey Parson knows what it's like to take one of Beckman's courses.

"Always energetic about everything and always willing to help other students," said Pearson.

She agrees, Professors have a good gig. She's even thinking about a career on campus for herself. 

However, the professor path has drawbacks.  In many cases, the position requires a decade of schooling at the collegiate level.

"Professors always complain that we're under-paid relative to how long we're actually going to school," said Beckman.

Still, Beckman thinks his career is worth the sacrifice and deserves the spot among America's top jobs.

Beckman says although he spends a lot of time teaching, he has other responsibilities.  He's also writing a textbook and conducting research  involving local streams.

The article in Money lists the median salary for an experienced college professor is more than $70,000.

To read the article for yourself click here: