Once salaries reach thesix-figure mark, retirement replaces pay as the top reason forworking. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Loving what you do doesn't always pay the bills, so many workersprioritize salary over passion, according to Signs's report, "Love WhatYou Do." However, if you can get paid decently for a job youtruly dig, then you have the best of both worlds.

When people start out in their careers, they likely have to "paytheir dues" in a position that may not be their "dream job"—but itwill pay the rent and electric bill, and maybe catching a movie andeating out at a restaurant or two with their buddies. But therewill be lots of Ramen noodles in the meantime.

Related: Most workers living paycheck topaycheck

Sign's survey of more than 1,000 workers across generations bearthis out: Millennials are significantly more concerned with apaycheck than finding a job they love – 62 percent say money istheir primary reason for working.

As people progress into their careers, many marry, start afamily and incur all the expenses of a growing family, including amortgage and a college fund for their kids. During those years,taking a job for the income it can bring in becomes all the moreimportant. Not surprisingly, Sign's survey found that GenXers—thosein the midst of raising families—are the least likely to pursue ajob for passion.

But people in their late 30s or early 40s are also buildingtheir resumes and as family commitments are fulfilled, they're morelikely to be able to pursue that dream job that gives them the mostpassion. Indeed, boomers are the most likely of the threegenerations to work for passion (16 percent), with just over halfworking for money. There's retirement to consider, of course, somaking good money while doing what you love is ideal.

The survey found that the more people earn, the more likely theyare to save for retirement. Once salaries reach the six-figuremark, retirement replaces pay as the top reason for working.

Some people are fortunate enough to be able to find passion inwhat they do right off the bat;  employees working inengineering, education and business are the most passionate abouttheir jobs, while employees in the sciences are the leastpassionate about their jobs on average, according to thesurvey.

What about overall happiness?

"Employees working in engineering, education and business rankedabove average in life satisfaction, with only health sciences andtechnologies ranking higher," the authors write. "Interestingly,health and technology also happen to be the top two growing andthriving industries, allowing employees to have the perfectcombination of passion and pay."

Other key survey findings include:

• Two-thirds (62.5 percent) of women report working for money,while only 12.8 percent say they work for passion. Men are morelikely to work for passion than women (15 percent), but age mayhave even more of an impact than gender, the authors write. For62.7 percent of men and 46.4 percent of women, saving forretirement is one of their top priorities.
• Vacation and a large purchase are also top reasons for working,according to over a third of men and women. However, when it cameto working to support children (36.1 percent) or for passion (35.2percent), men are significantly more likely than women to say eachis a primary reason – only 28.1 percent and 30.8 percent of womensay the same, respectively.
• Insufficient pay, lack of growth opportunities and lack ofpassion are the top three reasons employees would quit a job in thenext five years. Both men and women are more likely to quit a jobfor lack of passion over a bad relationship with their boss.
• People making at least $75,000 while working for pay consideredquitting after just under two years; however, those making between$75,000 and $99,000 while working for passion wouldn't consider jobhopping until they reached the 3.5-year mark. Commitment grew evenmore when people working for passion made at least $100,000, withemployees not considering quitting until five years later.

"People who are only in it for the money are less committed thantheir passionate counterparts, but it's for a good reason," theauthors write. "To continue seeing a substantial increase inincome, employees have to leave their current job and find a newone – even if they like the one they have."

Read more: 

• Millennials want job stability, Gen Z wantspassion
• Job seekers want to know about company culturebefore they apply
• Forget the money, today's job seekers want careeropportunities