Women make up a little over 43% of the American labor force. While over 57% of all women in the U.S. are now working, the participation rate for men is currently over 69%. Women are more likely to work full-time (defined as at least 35 hours each week) as well as year-round, but still earn only 82% of what their male counterparts bring home. Unfortunately, the 25 highest-paying jobs for women still pay men more.
The gender gap has undeniably narrowed since the introduction of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which forbids discrimination by most employers on the basis of sex (among other things). The education level of working women has improved significantly, too. Over the last 50 years, the number of women in the labor force with college degrees has quadrupled. That doesn’t necessarily translate to more upper-echelon jobs, however.
Click here to see the 29 jobs most often held by women.
To determine the jobs most commonly held by women, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the April 2021 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report “Women in the labor force: a databook.” Occupations with a labor force that is more than two-thirds female were ranked based on their total number of female workers.
Women account for over 75% of medical professionals, for instance, but make up only 40% of physicians and surgeons. The majority of legal workers are women, but only almost 64% of lawyers are men. And only 27.6% of chief executives are women. These, however, are the 32 fastest-growing jobs dominated by women.
29. Medical assistants
> Total full-time female medical assistants: 407,000
> Pct. of medical assistants that are female: 90.4%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $34,580 (% of male earnings)
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28. Preschool and kindergarten teachers
> Total full-time female preschool and kindergarten teachers: 411,000
> Pct. of preschool and kindergarten teachers that are female: 99.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $37,492 (% of male earnings)
27. Cooks
> Total full-time female cooks: 416,000
> Pct. of cooks that are female: 40.5%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $26,260 (98.6% of male earnings)
26. Medical and health services managers
> Total full-time female medical and health services managers: 438,000
> Pct. of medical and health services managers that are female: 69.6%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $76,128 (79.6% of male earnings)
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25. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
> Total full-time female licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses: 445,000
> Pct. of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses that are female: 89.0%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $44,928 (89.6% of male earnings)
24. Janitors and building cleaners
> Total full-time female janitors and building cleaners: 447,000
> Pct. of janitors and building cleaners that are female: 32.6%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $27,144 (78.9% of male earnings)
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23. Postsecondary teachers
> Total full-time female postsecondary teachers: 448,000
> Pct. of postsecondary teachers that are female: 50.3%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $71,968 (84.8% of male earnings)
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22. Social workers, all other
> Total full-time female social workers, all other: 509,000
> Pct. of social workers, all other that are female: 85.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $50,544 (83.1% of male earnings)
21. Secondary school teachers
> Total full-time female secondary school teachers: 530,000
> Pct. of secondary school teachers that are female: 58.0%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $59,748 (87.1% of male earnings)
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20. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
> Total full-time female maids and housekeeping cleaners: 531,000
> Pct. of maids and housekeeping cleaners that are female: 84.4%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $25,844 (89.4% of male earnings)
19. Human resources workers
> Total full-time female human resources workers: 553,000
> Pct. of human resources workers that are female: 74.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $61,048 (81.4% of male earnings)
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18. Education and childcare administrators
> Total full-time female education and childcare administrators: 560,000
> Pct. of education and childcare administrators that are female: 66.2%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $72,800 (88.1% of male earnings)
17. Teaching assistants
> Total full-time female teaching assistants: 591,000
> Pct. of teaching assistants that are female: 82.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $31,408 (82.5% of male earnings)
16. Retail salespersons
> Total full-time female retail salespersons: 611,000
> Pct. of retail salespersons that are female: 38.1%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $31,356 (77.4% of male earnings)
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15. Personal care aides
> Total full-time female personal care aides: 612,000
> Pct. of personal care aides that are female: 77.7%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $27,924 (94.7% of male earnings)
14. Financial managers
> Total full-time female financial managers: 624,000
> Pct. of financial managers that are female: 50.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $64,584 (66.1% of male earnings)
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13. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
> Total full-time female bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks: 636,000
> Pct. of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks that are female: 85.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $42,068 (73.5% of male earnings)
12. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
> Total full-time female first-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers: 734,000
> Pct. of first-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers that are female: 65.0%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $48,100 (80.8% of male earnings)
11. Receptionists and information clerks
> Total full-time female receptionists and information clerks: 738,000
> Pct. of receptionists and information clerks that are female: 87.2%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $33,072 (92.4% of male earnings)
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10. Office clerks, general
> Total full-time female office clerks, general: 759,000
> Pct. of office clerks, general that are female: 83.2%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $37,752 (91.9% of male earnings)
9. Cashiers
> Total full-time female cashiers: 805,000
> Pct. of cashiers that are female: 74.0%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $26,052 (95.6% of male earnings)
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8. Nursing assistants
> Total full-time female nursing assistants: 851,000
> Pct. of nursing assistants that are female: 88.1%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $30,576 (85.3% of male earnings)
7. Accountants and auditors
> Total full-time female accountants and auditors: 893,000
> Pct. of accountants and auditors that are female: 60.0%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $61,672 (78.0% of male earnings)
6. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
> Total full-time female first-line supervisors of retail sales workers: 960,000
> Pct. of first-line supervisors of retail sales workers that are female: 44.8%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $38,116 (74.7% of male earnings)
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5. Customer service representatives
> Total full-time female customer service representatives: 1,160,000
> Pct. of customer service representatives that are female: 63.9%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $36,296 (90.5% of male earnings)
4. Managers, all other
> Total full-time female managers, all other: 1,299,000
> Pct. of managers, all other that are female: 41.6%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $71,708 (78.8% of male earnings)
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3. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
> Total full-time female secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive: 1,496,000
> Pct. of secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive that are female: 93.1%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $40,404 (83.6% of male earnings)
2. Registered nurses
> Total full-time female registered nurses: 2,337,000
> Pct. of registered nurses that are female: 86.5%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $64,480 (85.3% of male earnings)
1. Elementary and middle school teachers
> Total full-time female elementary and middle school teachers: 2,430,000
> Pct. of elementary and middle school teachers that are female: 79.3%
> Median annual earnings for full-time female workers: $56,420 (86.2% of male earnings)
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