10 Jobs That Are Dominated By Women

There was a time in America when a woman in the workforce was uncommon (the 1950’s). A lot has shifted since then while other things still remain the same (gender pay gap). As women entered the workforce in larger numbers in the late 20th century, the pay gap has slowly gotten smaller and smaller, women now make 81 cents to men’s 1 dollar. From 1979 to 2018, the pay gap went from 62 cents to 81 cents. Progress continues to be made in 2020. Additionally, the fields dominated by women have not changed much. The top 10 jobs dominated by women in 2019 included: Kindergarten teachers, Medical Assistants, and Childcare Workers, to name a few. Career fields that have been historically dominated by women are referred to as pink-collar jobs. They often pay low-salaries and have not changed drastically since women entered the workforce in large numbers.

But fret not! There are fields women dominate that have high paying salaries and other male-dominated fields that women are breaking into as well.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data on Top-paying occupations for women. Not only do these occupations have a healthy salary, but they are also expected to grow over the next 10 years. Please note, the statistics of median earnings, expected growth, and women’s share come from the BLS.

Now, let us take a look at the 10 top-paying and growing jobs women should be looking out for.

1. Physician Assistant

2. Nurse Practitioners

3. Physical Therapists

4. Operations Research Analyst

5. Software developers

6. Medical and health service manager

7. Management analyst

8. Physician and surgeons

9. Computer and Information Systems Managers

10. Civil engineers

Physician Assistants (PAs)

Women’s share: 68%

Expected growth: 37%

Median weekly earnings: $1,646

What Physician Assistants do:

Practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. They examine, diagnose, and treat patients.

How to become a Physician Assistant:

1. Complete your bachelor’s degree in a science or healthcare related major

2. Gain experience either working or volunteering in a healthcare setting

3. Apply to ARC-PA accredited programs

4. Complete a 2-3 year, master’s level program

5. Pass the PANCE licensing exam

Nurse Practitioners

Women’s share: 85%

Expected growth: 36%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,891 (hello six-figures)

What do nurse practitioners do?

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) says nurse practitioners (NPs) provide high-quality primary, acute, and specialty health care services across the lifespan and in diverse settings. NPs focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and health education and counseling, guiding patients to make smarter health and lifestyle choices.

How do I become a nurse practitioner?

1. Enroll in either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) program.

2. Gain Nursing Experience – you can go straight to a graduate program but gaining nursing experience beforehand gives you the benefit of real-life experience and the option to save money for graduate school. We always recommend people get real-life experience in their field to see if you actually enjoy the work. Reading and learning concepts is one thing, experiencing and learning on your feet is a different world.

3. Enroll in a Graduate Program – Master of Science in Nursing  (MSN) is the minimum required or you may pursue Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

4. Get your State License and Certifications – this varies by state.

5. Apply and get to work!

Physical Therapists

Women’s share: 67%

Expected growth: 28%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,387

What Physical Therapists do:

Help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain. They are often an important part of preventive care, rehabilitation, and treatment for patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.

How to become a Physical Therapist:

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in a Health-Related Field

2. Complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program (two to three years post bachelor’s degree)

3. Get Licensed With Your State – requirements vary by state but does include passing the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)

4. Complete Residency (optional)

5. Apply and get to work!

Operations Research Analyst

Women’s share: 46%

Expected growth: 27%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,299

What Operations Research Analysts do:

Operations research analysts use advanced mathematical and analytical methods to help solve complex issues.

How to become an Operations Research Analyst:

We got our first occupation that does not require education beyond a bachelor’s degree.

1. Earn your bachelor’s degree in Operations Research, Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related field.

2. Get an Entry-Level Role: Jr. Analyst, Data Analyst, Research Coordinator in a STEM industry.

3. Work hard and keep track of your accomplishments (using metrics).

4. Continue to climb up the ladder, Operations Research Analysts have extensive experience, at least 5 or more years. Some candidates pursue a Master’s degree but it is not necessary.

Software Developers

Women’s share: 20%

Expected growth: 24%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,644

What software developers do:

Software developers instruct computers how to perform functions like online bill paying through step-by-step processes of programming and problem-solving.

How to Become a Software Developer:

1. Earn your Bachelor’s degree in either Computer Science or a related field.

2. Excel in your courses, especially STEM courses. It is common for large STEM companies to request your GPA as a recent grad. Since you won’t have any work experience upon graduating, it’s important to show you have a good handle and understanding of programming and other technical skills.

3. Aim for an internship while in college – this will support you when applying as a recent grad

4. Apply and get to work!

Medical and Health Service Manager

Women’s share: 74%

Expected growth: 20%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,331

What Medical and health service managers do: 

Plan, direct, and coordinate the business activities of healthcare providers. This could mean you manage an entire facility or a specific clinical area or department.

How to Become a Medical or Health service manager:

1. Earn your Bachelor’s degree in health administration, health management, nursing, public health administration, or business administration.

2. Earn your Master’s degree – this is not mandatory but very common.

3. Apply for Entry-level jobs: medical records and health information technicians, administrative assistants in a hospital, or financial clerks within a healthcare office. It’s pretty broad, it’s important to start in a role where you can begin to learn the operations of a healthcare facility.

4. Get to work and climb up the ladder!

Management Analyst

Women’s share: 44%

Expected growth: 14%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,437

What Management analysts do: 

Assess an organization and propose ways to improve its efficiency. They advise managers on how to make organizations more profitable through reduced costs and increased revenues.

How to Become a Management Analyst: 

1. Earn your Bachelor’s degree in business, management, economics, accounting, marketing or finance.

2. Apply to entry-level jobs. This is a broad industry and Management Analysts come from a variety of paths. You may start off as an accountant or auditor, computer systems analyst, or market research analyst.

3. Get to work and climb up the ladder!

Physician and Surgeons 

Women’s share: 43%

Expected growth: 13%

*Average median weekly earnings: $1,667

What physicians and surgeons do: 

Physicians – examine patients, take medical histories, prescribe medications, and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They also counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare.

Surgeons – operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones, diseases, and deformities.

*Women in this occupation are paid much less than 81 cents for man’s dollar. A 2018 Survey of Maryland Physician Compensation found that female physicians in Maryland earn less than male physicians in the same specialty. For example, the average annual income for female family medicine physicians, is $164,000 compared to $234,000 for males, roughly 70 centers for every man’s dollar. Forbes released an article compiling multiple studies and surveys that reflect a wide range of pay gaps between men and women in this occupation. Keep in mind, these are all healthy six-figure salaries but important to be aware of if you pursue this career.

How to Become a Physician or Surgeon:

This is definitely a career you want to be sure of, the process to become a physician or surgeon is long and competitive. Physicians usually get a bachelor’s degree, a degree from a medical school, which is an additional 4 years, and 3-7 years completing their internship and residency programs depending on their specialty. The entire process, post-high-school, is about 11-15 years.

Additionally, medical schools are highly competitive. Most applicants must submit transcripts, scores from the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and letters of recommendation. Schools also consider an applicant’s personality, leadership qualities, and participation in extracurricular activities. Most schools require applicants to interview with members of the admissions committee.

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Women’s share: 25%

Expected growth: 12%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,727

What Computer and Information Systems Managers do:

This occupation includes titles such as Chief information officers (CIOs) IT directors, chief technology officers (CTOs), etc. They plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization. They determine the technology or information goals of an organization and then oversee the implementation of technology to meet those goals.

How to Become a Computer or Information Systems Manager:

1. Earn your bachelor’s degree in a Computer or IT related field, for example, Computer Programming, Software Development, Engineering, Computer Science.

2. Get an Entry-Level Role: Jr. Analyst, Database Administrator, IT security analyst, etc.

3. Work your way up to a managerial position. On average Directors have over 5 years of experience in IT management before taking on a Director role. Take advantage of any certification opportunities that may come along the way.

4. Apply for your Director role! Some candidates pursue a Master’s degree but it is not necessary.

Civil Engineers

Women’s share: 15%

Expected growth: 11%

Average median weekly earnings: $1,282

What Civil Engineers do:

Conceive, design, build, supervise, operate, construct and maintain infrastructure projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment. Many civil engineers work in planning, design, construction, research, and education.

How to Become a Civil Engineer:

1. Earn a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

2. Complete an internship or a co-op in civil engineering or specialty you wish to pursue. Your internship is a great opportunity for you to grow your network to support you in finding an entry-level job in civil engineering.

3. Select your specialty or concentration. Civil engineering has a variety of specializations such as construction engineer, structural engineer, transportation engineer, etc.

4. Earn a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. This is optional and it is common to get promoted to senior positions. Earning a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering usually requires 2 additional years of education and can be done while you are working full-time.

5. Apply and get to work!

There you go, the 10 top-paying occupations for women that are also growing in the upcoming years. Always remember to negotiate your salary. The median weekly earnings listed in this piece are specific to what women are earning which most times do not match the “average” salary because women make 81 cents to men’s dollar (hi again, gender pay gap). As you pursue your careers, search for the average salary on engines like Glassdoor or Payscale and believe that you deserve to get compensated on an equal scale.

Alejandra Hernandez

If you are looking for guidance on finding a career path, switching careers, negotiating your salary, or anything career-related, schedule a free consultation with one of our experts to discuss how we can help you.