High-Paying Jobs Where Women Outnumber Men
Find out which jobs come with solidarity and bigger paychecks.
Cameron Huddleston
Life and Money Columnist
Nov 4, 2019 Boost Your Career
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The existence of the gender wage gap is well known. On average, women who work full time earn 82% of what their male colleagues do, according to the American Association of University Women. However, it doesn't mean that women have to settle for lower wages.
They could take steps to identify the size of the wage gap in their current positions and negotiate better pay. Or they could focus on getting jobs in higher-paying fields — especially in occupations where they outnumber men and might have more negotiating power.
To locate those jobs, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Labor to find all the occupations in which women outnumber men. The results were narrowed by determining the jobs where median earnings for women exceed $47,788, which are the median earnings of full-time workers in the U.S.
Although women are paid less than men in most of the jobs on this list, they still make more than the average American in these lucrative professions.
Last updated: Nov. 4, 2019
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50. Elementary and Middle School Teachers
Percentage of women in occupation: 77.9%
Median earnings for women: $50,766
The median salary for female teachers is slightly higher than the national average for full-time workers. Unfortunately, the median salary for male teachers is also nearly $5,000 higher than female teachers' average pay, even though women significantly outnumber men in the field.
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49. Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
This is a catchall group for healthcare workers whose occupations aren't identified separately by the U.S. Department of Labor. Women only slightly outnumber men in these occupations, and they earn 85% of what their male colleagues make.
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48. Librarians
Women dominate the librarian profession — this occupation has a higher concentration of women than all but five jobs on GOBankingRates' list. It's also one of the occupations where women come close to earning equal pay. The median wage for female librarians is 95% of the median wage for male librarians.
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47. Purchasing Agents (Except Wholesale, Retail and Farm Products)
Purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. This job typically requires a college degree, but the pay is about $4,000 higher than the national median earnings for full-time workers.
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46. Meeting, Convention and Event Planners
Women are highly concentrated in this profession, which requires coordinating professional events and meetings. The job can require long hours and lots of travel. Fortunately, the gender wage gap in this occupation is small. Meeting, convention and event planners who are women earn nearly 97% of what their male colleagues do.
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45. Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents
Female real estate brokers and sales agents outnumber the men in this occupation, but only by a small margin. Although the median pay for women with these jobs is higher than the median earnings of full-time workers in the U.S., it still falls nearly $19,000 below the median pay for male real estate brokers and sales agents.
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44. Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
This is the only occupation on GOBankingRates' list where the median salary for women is higher than the median salary for men. However, working as a probation officer or correctional treatment specialist can be dangerous and stressful.
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43. Credit Analysts
Credit analysts look at individuals' credit and other financial information to help determine whether they qualify for loans or lines of credit. Women slightly outnumber men in this field, yet they make about $20,000 less than their male colleagues.
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42. Dietitians and Nutritionists
Percentage of women in occupation: 88%
Being a dietitian or nutritionist involves advising people on what to eat and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The occupation typically requires a college degree. Women hold an overwhelming majority of these jobs, which can be found in hospitals, nursing homes, cafeterias and government agencies.
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41. Secondary School Teachers
Teaching high school students can be slightly more lucrative than teaching elementary or middle school students. However, the gender wage gap is about the same. Female high school teachers still make about $5,000 less than their male colleagues.
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40. Compensation, Benefits and Job Analysis Specialists
This job involves running an organization's or company's compensation and benefits program. It requires a college degree, but the average salary tops the national median pay for full-time workers by more than $4,400.
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39. Credit Counselors and Loan Officers
Credit counselors help people manage their debt, while loan officers evaluate and authorize the approval of loan applications. Although women outnumber men in this occupation, men earn about $25,000 more.
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38. Archivists, Curators and Museum Technicians
Job duties for this occupation involve overseeing collections of art or historic items at museums, universities, historic sites and other institutions. Not only do female archivists, curators and museum technicians outnumber their male colleagues, but they also come very close to earning equal pay. The gender pay gap is minimal at about $1,000.
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37. Postal Service Clerks
Postal service clerks typically work in post offices and sell postal products. Although this is a high-paying occupation for women, the number of jobs in the field is expected to decline significantly over the next several years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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36. Other Education, Training and Library Workers
This catchall group includes education, training and library occupations not listed separately by the Department of Labor. Unfortunately, women who work these jobs earn nearly $6,000 less than their male colleagues.
35. Business Operations Specialists
The median salary for women who work as business operations specialists tops the national average for full-time workers by about $8,000. However, women only make 75% of what men earn in this occupation.
34. Writers and Authors
People can make good money creating content for various types of media — and the gender wage gap for this occupation is small. Female writers and authors tend to earn 98% of what their male colleagues make.
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33. Respiratory Therapists
Respiratory therapists work in hospitals and other medical facilities and provide care for patients who have trouble breathing. This job typically requires an associate degree, and the median pay for women is more than $7,500 higher than the national median earnings of full-time workers.
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32. Editors
Editors review and revise content for publication. Although women can make more in this occupation than the average full-time worker, they still earn just 92% of what male editors make.
31. Social and Community Service Managers
This occupation typically requires a college degree and involves coordinating social service programs and community organizations. The median salary for women in this field is over $8,500 higher than the median earnings of full-time workers in the U.S.
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30. Diagnostic Related Technologists and Technicians
The gender wage gap in this high-paying occupation isn't as big compared to many jobs on GOBankingRates' list. As diagnostic related technologists and technicians, women earn about 91% of what men do.
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29. Human Resources Workers
Human resources workers recruit and hire employees and handle compensation, benefits and training. A majority of people in this occupation are women, yet they earn about $8,000 less than their male colleagues.
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28. Training and Development Specialists
Training and development specialists administer programs that can help employees improve their skills. Women slightly outnumber men in this occupation but make 87% of what their male colleagues earn.
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27. Insurance Underwriters
Insurance underwriters evaluate insurance applications and decide whether to issue insurance policies to individuals as well as what the policy terms will be. Although the median salary for women in this job is over $10,000 higher than the median earnings of U.S. workers, the gender pay gap for insurance underwriters is bigger than in many other occupations on this list. Female insurance underwriters earn only 74% of what men make.
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26. Accountants and Auditors
You'll need at least a college degree to become an accountant or auditor. Getting additional certification in accounting can improve your job prospects in this field, where the median earnings for women are $12,500 higher than the median salary for full-time workers in the U.S.
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25. Fundraisers
Fundraisers help raise money for nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, political campaigns and other groups. The job typically requires a college degree. Demand for workers in this field is expected to increase at a higher rate than demand for all occupations over the next several years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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24. Advertising and Promotions Managers
This could be the right job for you if the idea of promoting products or services is appealing. Women can earn a significant amount in this field, too. However, men who work as advertising and promotions managers get paid about $9,000 more than their female colleagues.
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23. Compliance Officers
Compliance officers ensure that businesses and organizations comply with the laws and regulations that govern them. Women in this occupation earn significantly more than the average full-time worker, but they still make just 88% of what their male colleagues do.
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22. Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
This occupation involves researching market conditions to see how well a product or service would sell. It requires a college degree and strong math skills. Sometimes a master's degree is also needed, depending on the position. The median pay for women working as market research analysts and marketing specialists is more than $16,000 higher than the median salary for U.S. workers.
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21. Education Administrators
Education administrators oversee school operations. Although this job tends to pay well for women, they still earn just 78% of what men make in this occupation.
20. Financial Managers
Financial managers help manage the finances of organizations and companies. Although it's a high-paying job for women, the gender pay gap is the biggest of any occupation on GOBankingRates' list. Women earn just 65% of what men make as financial managers.
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19. Social Scientists and Related Workers, Including Sociologists
Social scientists and other workers in the field study a variety of issues related to society — and they can make good money doing so. Plus, this occupation offers equal pay for women and men.
18. Technical Writers
Technical writers create instruction guides, how-to manuals and similar documents. The gender pay gap in this occupation is much smaller than in other jobs. Women earn about 95% of what men make as technical writers.
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17. Registered Nurses
To become a registered nurse, you typically need an associate or bachelor's degree in nursing to get licensed. But your efforts will pay off — the median salary for female registered nurses is nearly $18,000 higher than the median earnings of full-time workers in the country. Additionally, job growth is expected to be much faster in this field than in other occupations over the coming years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
16. Public Relations Specialists
Public relations specialists help promote businesses, organizations or individuals by crafting a positive public image for them. The job typically requires a bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism or communications and can have long hours. However, the median pay for women in this occupation is nearly $19,000 higher than the median earnings of U.S. workers.
15. Medical and Health Services Managers
Medical and health services managers help run the businesses of healthcare providers. They often have a master's degree and work experience in an administrative role with a healthcare facility. Although it's a high-paying job for women, the gender wage gap is significant. Women earn just 77% of what men make as medical and health services managers.
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14. Medical Scientists
Women can earn a high salary conducting research as a medical scientist. However, the gender pay gap isn't small. Men in this occupation make about $18,000 more than women do.
13. Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists treat people with disabilities, illnesses or injuries and help them maintain the skills required to perform everyday activities. The job typically asks for a master's degree in occupational therapy. Luckily, the wage gap between women and men in this profession is smaller than in many other jobs.
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12. Human Resources Managers
Human resources managers oversee recruiting, hiring and benefits programs at organizations and serve as a link between management and employees. Although women outnumber men in this high-paying occupation, they earn about $10,000 less than their male colleagues.
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11. Psychologists
To become a psychologist, you typically need to hold a doctorate in psychology. The additional education can pay off, though, because the median salary for women in this occupation is over $23,000 higher than the national median earnings of full-time workers.
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10. Training and Development Managers
Training and development managers coordinate programs to improve the skills of an organization's employees. The gender pay gap in this occupation is smaller than in many other jobs. Women earn about 93% of what men make as training and development managers.
9. Physical Therapists
This high-paying job involves helping people with injuries improve their movement or manage their pain. To become a physical therapist, you need to hold a doctorate in physical therapy. Although women can earn a good salary with this job, they make about $9,000 less than men who are physical therapists.
8. Budget Analysts
Budget analysts help organizations develop a budget and estimate future financial needs. The job typically requires a bachelor's degree, and the median pay for women is nearly $27,000 higher than the median earnings of full-time workers.
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7. Natural Sciences Managers
This job requires at least a college degree and involves supervising the research of scientists such as biologists, chemists and physicists. Although women slightly outnumber men in this high-paying occupation, they earn just 69% of what their male colleagues make.
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6. Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
This managerial position commands a higher salary than what public relations specialists and fundraisers earn because it typically requires more years of experience and can include supervising staff. Women outnumber men in this job, but they still earn just 86% of what men make as public relations and fundraising managers.
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5. Veterinarians
To become a veterinarian, you'll need to earn a bachelor's degree and a doctorate in veterinary medicine, which can take four years to complete. But the additional education can pay off in a big way. Being a veterinarian is one of the highest-paying jobs for women.
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4. Physician Assistants
Physician assistants work with doctors and surgeons to help provide medical care for patients. The job typically requires a master's degree. The median salary for women in this occupation is more than double the national median.
3. Nurse Practitioners
Median earnings for women: $100,914
To become a nurse practitioner, you need to earn a master's degree, become licensed and pass a national certification exam. It's one of just three jobs on GOBankingRates' list where the median salary for women tops $100,000. Additionally, women come closer to making equal pay as nurse practitioners than in many other occupations.
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2. Pharmacists
Becoming a pharmacist requires a doctorate, which takes four years to earn. However, the job typically comes with a six-figure salary, and earnings for women and men in this occupation are almost equal. Female pharmacists make 98% of what their male colleagues earn.
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1. Nurse Anesthetists
A nurse anesthetist is the highest-paying job for women on this list. To become one and start providing anesthetics to patients, you must first become a registered nurse and then enter a nurse anesthesia program, which typically takes almost three years to complete. The median salary for women in this job is three times higher than the median U.S. earnings of full-time workers.
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Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the U.S. Department of Labor's "Employment and Earnings by Occupation 2017" report to find all the occupations in which women outnumber men, with the threshold being a percentage of 50.1% or higher. The results were further narrowed by taking the median gross annual wage for employees on private nonfarm payrolls, as provided by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, and ensuring the median earnings for the occupations where women outnumber men exceeded that amount. All data used to conduct this ranking was compiled on and is accurate as of Oct. 23, 2019.
Cameron Huddleston is an award-winning journalist with more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance. Her work has appeared in Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Business Insider, Chicago Tribune, Fortune, MSN, USA Today and many more print and online publications. She also is the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances.
U.S. News & World Report named her one of the top personal finance experts to follow on Twitter, and AOL Daily Finance named her one of the top 20 personal finance influencers to follow on Twitter. She has appeared on CNBC, CNN, MSNBC and "Fox & Friends" and has been a guest on ABC News Radio, Wall Street Journal Radio, NPR, WTOP in Washington, D.C., KGO in San Francisco and other personal finance radio shows nationwide. She also has been interviewed and quoted as an expert in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, MarketWatch and more.
She has an MA in economic journalism from American University and BA in journalism and Russian studies from Washington & Lee University.
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