In 1979, the wages of women were only equivalent to 62 percent of those of men, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States. The wage gap between men and women continued to close during the 1980s and 1990s, and it is currently estimated that women make around 80 to 83 percent as much as men do on average.
Researchers from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business have developed a handful of hypotheses in an attempt to explain the disparity in incomes between men and women.
The first concern is that of choosing a major in college. Studies such as art history and literature are popular choices amongst female students. Although careers in these areas may provide a high level of satisfaction overall, the average incomes are often lower. Students who are interested in increasing their potential earnings should concentrate their studies on subjects that fall under the umbrella term "STEM," which stands for "science, technology, engineering, and mathematics."
One further factor contributing to the pay gap is the fact that women are more likely to accept lower wages in return for more leeway in their places of employment. This is possibly due to the fact that they are beginning to establish kids.
Some of the occupations that women may undertake that pay the most money are ones that women have traditionally held the majority of, while other positions are the consequence of a shift in the power structure. The more that perceptions regarding women working in high-stress and demanding industries like medicine and top management alter, the more positions for women that pay higher wages will become accessible to them. The following is a list of some of the high-paying careers available to women, along with an explanation of why these jobs are such a good choice for women who want to achieve the same success as men:
1. Veterinarians
The area of veterinary science used to be one that males predominated in, but recently, for a variety of reasons, there has been a rise in the number of women entering this subject. Women typically mention their love of animals, the absence of gender discrimination in school applications, the possibility to study animal science and medicine, and the absence of gender discrimination in school admissions as their motivations for joining the field of veterinary medicine.
Women are attracted to veterinary school for a number of reasons, one of which being the possibility that they may work as veterinarians for tiny animals rather than having to deal with enormous animals. Those who choose to deal with huge animals have access to the most cutting-edge chemical and mechanical restraints, which enable them to operate on and around large animals securely with a reduced risk of injury while determining the health of the animal.
When it comes to compensation, working as a veterinarian is one of the most lucrative careers available to women. The job of veterinarian requires a high level of expertise, and veterinarians have the opportunity to increase their income by becoming specialists in one of the many subfields that make up the field of veterinary medicine.
Average salary: $103,220.00
The proportion of women working in the industry is 76.39 percent.
2. Medical Doctors and Surgical Professionals
As the predicted scarcity of physicians continues to become a reality, the area of medicine has been progressively drawing an increasing number of women to enter the profession. In order to meet the rising demand for doctors, medical schools are increasing the number of students in each class and establishing up new institutions. Women in the past have said that male authority figures in the medical industry made them feel intimidated and discriminated against them. Due to this, fewer women than ever before are applying to medical schools, yet views are shifting in favor of women working in the medical field at a time when an increasing number of doctors are retiring and the number of trained medical professionals is decreasing.
In 2019, women made up more than half of the total population of medical students in the United States for the very first time. This figure represents 50.5% of the total medical student population. A historically male-dominated industry is gradually undergoing a demographic shift as an increasing number of women are entering the medical and surgical professions. Although the typical starting wage for a female physician is on the lower end of the pay scale, many female physicians go on to earn substantially greater incomes as their careers progress. When it comes to income potential, job satisfaction, and career advancement, the future for female doctors and surgeons improves in direct proportion to the increasing number of women who choose to pursue careers in medicine.
Average salary: $97,656.00
Women make up 40.72 percent of the workforce in this sector.
3. Doctors of Pharmacy
Because of the assumption that pharmacy is a job that is accommodating to families, as well as the concept that women are natural communicators and sympathetic to people in need, many women are drawn to pursue careers in the pharmaceutical industry. It is also a profession that gives one of the occupations with the greatest compensation for women who wish to work in one of the STEM disciplines, raise a family, and enjoy their career while simultaneously caring for those who are in need of assistance. Many female pharmacists are able to return to work part-time after their children reach the age when they may be cared for in a daycare setting since the working hours in the retail sector are often conducive to a healthy work-life balance. More women have entered the field of pharmacy as a result of a change that occurred throughout time from independent pharmacists to pharmacists working for employers.
Average salary: $97,604.00
Women make up 60.78 percent of the workforce in this sector.
4. Medical Assistants in Primary Care
Assistant doctors operate under the direction of licensed physicians and are responsible for many of the same patient care responsibilities as a doctor or surgeon. As a result of the fact that a physician assistant performs many of the same duties as a doctor but does not need a medical degree, it is one of the best-paying careers available to women. Women often join the field of physician assistants via the nursing profession or go to college with the goal of obtaining a degree in the field. According to the findings of several studies, one reason why women choose to join this area is that it provides them with the opportunity to learn medical knowledge and the capability of practicing medicine without the expensive expense and the stress associated with attending medical school.
It's common for female physician assistants to work in fields like pediatrics or women's health, but there's been a recent uptick in the number of PAs practicing in other specialties. It is possible for a physician's assistant to practice medicine in many of the same specialties as a doctor. In certain areas, physician assistants are permitted to operate with a larger degree of independence in the form of primarily independent practice, which is another appealing feature of the profession.
Average salary: $91,676.00
The percentage of women working in the industry is now at 70.64 percent.
5. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
Although they are licensed to practice medicine independently, nurse practitioners report to and receive direction from licensed physicians. Because males have traditionally been discouraged from entering the nursing profession, this is a career that is mostly occupied by women. It is also a fantastic educational and career path, since the majority of nurse practitioners began their careers as registered nurses before going on to gain higher degrees via further schooling throughout the course of their professional lives. Women who are also moms and who want to make a decent wage, assist others with their medical requirements, and have flexible hours in order to spend more time with their families are likely to be interested in the position. It is one of the higher-paying careers available to women, and there is the potential for significant wage rises as the number of jobs requiring medical experts continues to climb.
Average salary: $91,156.00
The proportion of women working in the industry is 87.17 percent.
6. Managers of the Human Resources Department
The area of human resources has traditionally been dominated by women owing to the widespread belief that this is a function that is more suited for women than for males. It's a common misconception that women are superior to males when it comes to evaluating people's personalities and determining which jobs are most suited to their characteristics. This is another consideration. Emotional intelligence is a quality that is beneficial in resolving conflicts, managing people, and negotiating, and women generally have greater levels of it than males do.
There is no doubting that these are examples of stereotypes; nonetheless, they do have a foundation in truth, and women have an advantage over males in terms of their ability to effectively manage human resources. In the end, this is one of the careers that pays better for women, yet it's also one of the positions where it might be advantageous to comply to preconceptions.
Average salary: $79,976.00
The proportion of women working in the industry is 76.92 percent.
7. Management Analysts
A management analyst is a specialized form of management consultant who examines the existing organizational structure of a company in order to see how it might be improved. This involves reading through and interpreting reports, procedures, manuals, system designs, and any other sort of documentation that informs staff on how to carry out their responsibilities. Because more women are going to college to get bachelor's degrees in business and master's degrees in business administration, women are finally attaining parity with males in terms of career opportunities in this sector.
The position of management analyst is appealing to women since it is one of the high-paying careers for women that also provide a work-life balance that is acceptable to most people. It is also a position that makes use of the capacity to think critically and combine logical thinking with emotional intelligence in order to discover answers to difficult questions.
Average salary: $78,884.00
Women make up 43.79 percent of the workforce in this sector.
8. Psychologists
For a variety of different reasons, the discipline of psychology is more appealing to women than it is to males. They include the fact that women are physically more empathic than men, are more able to transform ideas into words, and the capacity to perceive non-verbal gestures that work as a sort of language. In addition, males are better at turning thoughts into words. These explanations, along with many others, are not founded on preconceived notions but rather on verifiable evidence. When compared to male brains, female brains have a greater number of the physical traits that are responsible for driving the mind's observant and empathic activities. Because of this, women have a natural advantage over males when it comes to working as psychologists and offering assistance to individuals who are in need of treatment for mental illness.
Women are attracted to the profession of psychology because it is one of the highest-paying careers for women, but it is also a chance to work as a healer of the mind, which is another reason why they are drawn to it. Women have the opportunity to specialize in an area of psychology that is most suited to them in terms of their ability and interests when they choose to study psychology since it is a discipline that can be subdivided into different concentrations.
Average salary: $74,932.00
The proportion of women working in the industry is 81.58 percent.
9. Occupational Therapists
After World War I, a sort of treatment called occupational therapy was developed to assist veterans in regaining the use of their limbs so that they could participate in day-to-day activities. Women once made up the whole of the occupational therapy workforce, and they have not yet given up their dominant position in the industry. There is not a single cause that can be pinpointed for this phenomenon; however, this is a fantastic field of work for women who are interested in working in one of the highest-paying jobs available to women and who would enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with assisting others in becoming self-sufficient in their day-to-day activities.
It remains a mystery as to why women predominate in the area of occupational therapy; yet, it is a very rewarding profession and ranks among the highest paid careers available to women. Occupational therapy is gentle for the practitioner as well as the patient, and it is extremely successful; as a result, people who seek a career in occupational therapy report high levels of work satisfaction.
Average salary: $74,932.00
Women make up 85.87 percent of the workforce in this sector.
10. Managers in Charge of Public Relations and Fundraising
During World War II, women began joining male-dominated fields such as public relations and fundraising in an effort to fulfill the responsibilities that males had left vacant while they served in the military. Since that time, women have consistently predominated at lower levels of the field, whilst males have consistently predominated at higher executive levels. On the other hand, more and more women are climbing the corporate ladder and securing senior positions, which often come with a higher salary.
Because of the perception that women are better at finding solutions to complex problems, have a talent for building reputations with solid foundations for clients, and are skilled crisis managers, women have historically held the majority of leadership positions in the fields of public relations and fundraising. When it comes to careers that pay more for women, the public relations and fundraising fields give a good average wage that improves with time and expertise. These fields also provide opportunities for career advancement.
Average salary: $72,748.00
69.44 percent of workers in this sector are female