20 High-Paying Jobs Where Women Outnumber Men

The existence of the gender wage gap is well known. On average, women who work full time earn 83% of what their male colleagues do, according to the American Association of University Women. The median salary for women in the U.S. is $45,760 across all occupations, which is below the overall median salary of $54,132. 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. 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. 

• Percentage of women in occupation: 72%
• Median earnings for women: $70,435

Fundraisers are in charge of organizing events to help raise money for a cause or company. Although women can earn a good salary with this job, they make about $8,000 less than men who are fundraisers.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 50.1%
• Median earnings for women: $70,511

Just over half of the people in charge of delivering your mail are women. However, male postmasters and mail superintendents earn about $5,000 more than their female counterparts on average.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 72%
• Median earnings for women: $71,282

Medical and health services managers are in charge of coordinating business for healthcare providers. Typically, all you need is a bachelor’s degree to get started in this profession. Though women outnumber men in this role, men make almost $17,000 more on average doing the same job. 

• Percentage of women in occupation: 56%
• Median earnings for women: $71,568

Technical writers compose instructions, how-to guides, and other articles where the aim is to simplify something complex. There is about a $10,000 gap between what male technical writers make and what female technical writers make, with the latter being less. 

• Percentage of women in occupation: 56%
• Median earnings for women: $72,041

Those in this role lead the charge on creating advertisements for products and companies. Though you’ll find more women holding these roles, men make almost $20,000 more.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 87%
• Median earnings for women: $72,121

Occupational therapists help people with injuries, illnesses or disabilities by coaching them through their daily activities. Women dominate this field, but still make about $7,000 less than men in the field. 

• Percentage of women in occupation: 55%
• Median earnings for women: $73,907

Medical scientists perform research to help make advancements in health. Women slightly outnumber men in this field, but men make about $8,000 more on average.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 54%
• Median earnings for women: $74,867

Training and development managers are the people that make and carry out programs to advance a particular staff’s knowledge of something. This typically requires a bachelor’s degree. Men in this job make about $6,000 more on average than women.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 60%
• Median earnings for women: $75,432

Marketing managers are usually the ones who make promotional strategies for a company or team. Women doing this job make about $20,000 less than men, which is one of the largest pay gaps on this list.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 61%
• Median earnings for women: $75,988

Budget analysts typically make a plan for how much a team or company can spend, then make sure that plan is followed. Men in this role make about $10,000 more than women.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 67%
• Median earnings for women: $76,776

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 about $12,000 less on average.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 60%
• Median earnings for women: $77,337

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 $8,000 less than men who are physical therapists.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 75%
• Median earnings for women: $80,175

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 $15,000 less than their male colleagues.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 68%
• Median earnings for women: $80,629

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 almost $30,000 higher than the national median earnings of full-time workers.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 58%
• Median earnings for women: $82,432

This job requires at least a college degree and involves supervising the research of scientists such as biologists, chemists and physicists. Although women outnumber men in this high-paying occupation, they earn about $9,000 less.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 64%
• Median earnings for women: $95,460

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.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 88%
• Median earnings for women: $103,312

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. They still make about $10,000 less than their male counterparts.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 65%
• Median earnings for women: $105,676

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 almost double the national median.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 55%
• Median earnings for women: $121,218

Becoming a pharmacist requires a doctorate, which takes four years to earn. However, the job typically comes with a six-figure salary. However, female pharmacists make about $7,000 less than men in their field.

• Percentage of women in occupation: 58%
• Median earnings for women: $171,149

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 more than three times higher than the median U.S. earnings of full-time workers.

Brooke Barley contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s “Employment and Earnings by Occupation” 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 Feb. 21, 2023.