High-paying jobs for women are much easier to find than they were 50 years ago, but it can still be difficult to know where to look for them.
In this article, we’ve put together a list of 25 jobs where women can expect to earn a comfortable salary that matches or exceeds those of their male counterparts.
As higher-paying jobs become more widely available, more women are filling those roles than ever before. While money isn’t everything, salary is an important aspect to consider when deciding which professional path to choose.
Check out the list below of the top 25 best-paying jobs for women to learn what careers will earn you the heftiest paycheck.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Average Annual Salary: $207,000
CEOs are the face of the company, and many women are successful in this role, even if male CEOs still outnumber females by a wide margin. A chief executive officer is the highest-ranking person within a company who oversees all facets of its success, which means it’s one of the highest-paying job titles that you can hold.
You can become a CEO by either founding your own company or getting elected by an established corporation’s board of directors after years of proving yourself through hard work.
The job responsibilities of a CEO include:
Making big decisions for the corporation
Managing company operations
Acting as a liaison between employees, public, and board of directors
Being the public face of the company
Pharmacist
Average Annual Salary: $125,000
Pharmacists are generously compensated for their important jobs, making this an ideal high-paying job for women. A pharmacist is entrusted with medications that can do a lot of harm if incorrectly formulated and dispensed, so this role does require quite a bit of education.
A pharmacist’s job involves handling prescriptions given by physicians and distributing medication to the patient who needs it. Women who hope to pursue a career as a pharmacist need to get a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, which can take around four years to complete after graduating from an accredited bachelor’s program.
The job responsibilities of a pharmacist include:
Give out prescriptions to patients
Explain how to take prescriptions
Offer helpful advice to the patients about taking their medication
Oversee pharmacy technicians
Complete administrative tasks
Communicate with physicians and insurance providers
Physician
Average Annual Salary: $232,000
The healthcare industry is full of successful women, and none are better-paid than physicians. Working as a physician is a high-stress position with a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, but you’ll be rewarded with a comfortable salary. It’s a rewarding career that involves helping people who are suffering with physical injuries and illnesses.
Like law, there are many different specialties you can focus on in a career as a physician. If you enjoy working with children, you can become a pediatrician. If you prefer the rush of working in an operating room, you can work towards a position as a surgeon.
The job responsibilities of a physician include:
Work with a healthcare team to provide patient care
Analyze reports and test results
Diagnose conditions in patients
Prescribe medications
Follow department procedures
Educate patients on their diagnosis
Decide on treatment
Complete medical records
Attorney
Average Annual Salary: $86,000
Many women find success in the legal field, with advocacy being a key part of the profession. For both women and men alike, the work of representing and advising clients in legal proceedings comes with a high salary for women and men alike.
An attorney’s clients can range from individuals to giant corporations. There are also many different specialties that you can pick from when you choose a career in law, such as criminal and international law.
The process of becoming a lawyer is a long and grueling one. It requires a bachelor’s degree, followed by three more years of earning a law degree. All leading up to taking one of the most intense tests known to man — the Bar Exam — before you’re officially certified as a practicing attorney.
The job responsibilities of an attorney include:
Represent clients in court
Give legal advice
Communicate effectively with clients, judges, and other co-workers
Research in preparation for court cases
Interpret lawyers and present well-formed cases on behalf of their clients
Prepare legal documents
Information Systems Manager
Average Annual Salary: $124,000
Women who work as computer and information systems managers handle IT activities within a company and typically get paid well to do it. They work directly with an organization’s executives to discuss and decide the best computing system for their needs.
Computer and information systems managers need to have strong technical and organizational skills to direct the tasks associated with their job. A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field and work experience is required to secure a top position in this field.
The job responsibilities of a computer and information systems manager include:
Determine a company’s computing needs
Creates a plan to implement computer systems
Performs routine maintenance
Accounts for cybersecurity
Nurse Practitioner
Average Annual Salary: $104,000
Working as a nurse practitioner is an excellent job for women who prefer to spend their days working with and helping people. It also comes with a generous paycheck and a whole lot of other women.
In fact, 87% of nurse practicioners are women, meaning that 7 out of 8 of your peers in a hospital setting will be women as well, on average.
To become a nurse practitioner, you need a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a few years of experience in the field.
The job responsibilities of a nurse practitioner include:
Educating patients
Conducting physical assessments
Ordering tests
Providing disease management care
Prescribing medicines (sometimes)
Software Developer
Average Annual Salary: $94,000
As a woman working as a software developer, you’ll get to use your computer skills to design software — while getting paid very well. Software development is becoming an increasingly popular field with the rise in demand for technically skilled workers who can work remotely.
And that job growth has coincided with a new wave of women who are getting STEM degrees in college at higher rates than ever before. High pay and solid job security make a career in software development quite attractive for many women.
The job responsibilities of a software developer include:
Researching and analyzing user data
Designing and managing software programs
Evaluating program success
Training users on how to use software
Identifying areas that can be improved
Writing code
Human Resources Manager
Average Annual Salary: $79,000
About 70% of human resources managers are women, and with plenty of job openings, it’s also one a common role in HR.
A human resources manager is usually a well-paid professional who functions as the connection between a company and its employees or job applicants.
In this role, you’ll handle tasks from recruiting and onboarding to staff management and meeting coordination. It’s a job that requires juggling a lot of balls in the air, but it comes with a high salary, and many women thrive in this position.
The job responsibilities of a human resources manager include:
Coordinating the recruitment process
Developing training strategies
Managing multiple facets of employee experience, like salary
Handling communication between management and staff
Physician Assistant
Average Annual Salary: $130,000
As a woman working as a physician assistant, you’ll act as a doctor’s right hand in examining patients and running diagnostic tests in healthcare facilities. You’ll often run through the routine of checking out a patient and consulting with the physician for more information.
A master’s degree is required to work as a physician assistant, in addition to many long hours of training at a hospital.
The job responsibilities of a physician assistant include:
Examining and discussing with patients to figure out a diagnosis
Ordering tests
Giving health advice
Prescribing medications
Doing routine minor procedures, like stitches
Giving vaccinations and other shots
Administrative duties
Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $86,000
There aren’t a lot of women who work as engineers, but many companies want more females on their teams, making it an excellent option if you’re looking for a high-paying job. And with more women getting degrees in STEM topics, the engineer gender gap is starting to close.
Engineers solve technical problems with a combination of mathematics and science. There is a lot of variation between the jobs that fall under the category of engineering, like computer, mechanical, and chemical engineering. In general, they all pay well.
Most engineers hold bachelor’s degrees in engineering, but many also have master’s degrees that allow them to go more in-depth in their area of expertise.
The job responsibilities of an engineer include:
Outlining budgets and estimates
Determining project specifications
Performing engineering experiments
Always considering safety
Creating technical reports
Communicating results with clients and co-workers
Psychologist
Average Annual Salary: $84,000
Becoming a psychologist is an excellent option for women who are interested in science, enjoy working with people, and want to make a high salary.
Psychologists use varying therapeutic techniques that all have the same goal of helping their patients. Through various tests and evaluations, they assist in improving people’s mental health and well-being to become the best possible version of themselves.
The job responsibilities of a psychologist include:
Speaking empathetically with patients
Evaluating mental health
Devising strategies for improving well-being and treatment plans
Studying and researching aspects of human behavior
Finance Analyst
Average Annual Salary: $78,000
Many high-paid women work as finance analysts. The financial health and performance of a business are crucial to its success, and that’s where financial analysts come in to help.
In this role, your job is to examine, utilize, and project all things financial for a particular business that you work with. This also often involves assisting executives in making the best financial decisions.
Securing a role as a financial analyst usually involves having a bachelor’s degree in a finance-related field of study, at a minimum.
The job responsibilities of a financial analyst include:
Analyzing financial data to determine a company’s performance
Creating reports and presentations to reflect these findings
Evaluating the financial standing of a company
Establishing plans for financial growth
Computer Programmer
Average Annual Salary: $73,000
This high-paying position requires a lot of creativity and diligence, making it a great fit for many women. Computer software runs from written code, and it’s a computer programmer’s job to write it.
There are more requirements in terms of demonstrated skills than degrees, with many companies accepting employees with just an associate or high school degree.
The job responsibilities of a computer programmer include:
Debugging computer software
Writing in a variety of coding languages, like Java
Troubleshooting
Writing instructions
Updating and editing existing programs
Dental Hygienist
Average Annual Salary: $113,000
Many women with high salaries work as dental hygienists, helping keep patients’ smiles healthy. In fact, more than 9 out of every 10 dental hygienists is a woman.
In this role, your workday would include tasks like cleaning teeth and advising patients about how to care for their teeth properly. Women who plan to become dental hygienists need to graduate with at least an associate degree from an accredited dental program and get licensed.
The job responsibilities of a dental hygienist include:
Complete exams and prescreening on new patients
Clean teeth
Apply tooth protection, like fluoride
Take and develop x-rays
Educate patients on proper dental hygiene
Occupational Therapist
Average Annual Salary: $113,000
Occupational therapists are often women (87%) who are looking to help people in a tangible way while making a high salary in the process.
An occupational therapist’s job description involves taking care of sick, disabled, or injured individuals with therapeutic activity techniques. Their goal is to give patients the tools they need to regain physical strength and improve skills for daily functioning.
The job responsibilities of an occupational therapist include:
Analyzing each patient’s particular needs and condition
Creating short and long-term treatment plans
Targeting goals for patients to reach
Training patients to use equipment
Evaluating patient progress
University or Postsecondary Teacher
Average Yearly Salary: $80,000
While it’s true that most teachers don’t earn much money, women who teach in universities or other post-high school institutions can be well paid. College professors are evenly split between men and women in the US, although a small gender pay gap still exists in this field.
The role of a postsecondary teacher can vary based on the subject, and in addition to teaching students, postsecondary teachers may also conduct research and publish scholarly papers or books in their discipline.
The job responsibilities of a postsecondary teacher include:
Instructing students
Developing teaching resources and class structure
Helping students meet their performance goals
Creating new lesson plans for each topic covered
Grading papers and tests
Adhering to school curriculum and requirements
Marketing Manager
Average Annual Salary: $107,000
Marketing management can be a great high-paying job for women who enjoy thinking strategically and creatively.
A marketing manager’s job is to bring attention to the company they work for by employing marketing strategies. A large part of their responsibility is tending to how consumers perceive the brand and product identity.
Most women who go into careers as marketing managers have a bachelor’s degree in marketing or business before getting hired.
The job responsibilities of a marketing manager include:
Developing marketing strategies to improve profits
Creating a brand that considers its customers
Managing project budgets
Identifying potential customers
Generating advertising campaigns
Evaluating strategy success
Education Administrator
Average Annual Salary: $57,000
Working as an education administrator is fulfilling and well-paid work for women with experience in and a passion for education.
A school or learning facility’s structure relies on hard work from education administrators to handle staff supervision, account for budgets, and make decisions that affect the school community. While education administrators are often employed at different schooling levels, they can also work for museums and correctional facilities.
Education administrators need to have earned a master’s degree and have around three years of teaching experience before they’ll be considered for hire.
The job responsibilities of an education administrator include:
Registered Nurse (RN)
Average Annual Salary: $72,000
Many women who want to help people and make good money work as registered nurses. In fact, 88% of RNs are women.
A registered nurse’s job is similar to that of a nurse practitioner, but it requires less schooling and experience. Many registered nurses go on to pursue an education as a practitioner later in their careers.
RNs spend their days caring for patients and their families in a variety of medical settings.
The job responsibilities of a registered nurse include:
Following through with physician’s orders for patient care, such as performing tests and administering treatments
Ordering and evaluating diagnostic tests
Using the best judgment when handling patients and their families
Provide care for injuries and illnesses
Collaborate with a nursing team
Public Relations Managers
Average Annual Salary: $91,000
If you’re a woman who has a knack for communication, creativity, and knowing how to your best foot forward, you might enjoy a high-paying job as a public relations manager.
A public relations manager’s job is to build and maintain a company’s reputation while managing the rest of the PR team. They use media to accomplish tasks related to creating a company brand.
Most women who handle a brand’s public image have a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, or a related field. Many have master’s degrees as well.
The job responsibilities of a public relations specialist include:
Develop materials for dealing with the media, like press releases and written articles
Determine targeted company identity and brand
Creating strategies to strengthen brand image
Analyze public opinion
Build rapport with media outlets
Track and keep a record of the progress of public relations strategies
Manage public relations team
Physical Therapist
Average Annual Salary: $75,000
Working as a physical therapist is a great option for women who want to help people regain their quality of life after an injury. It typically pays well too.
A physical therapist’s goal is to help their patients manage pain post-injury through movement and exercise regimes. They focus on each patient individually and devise plans specifically for their needs.
The job responsibilities of a physical therapist include:
Consulting and discussing with patients
Diagnosing dysfunction
Determining a strategy to help them with their condition and symptoms
Teaching patients exercises in their regime
Providing healing massages
Tracking progress and maintaining patient records
Actuary
Average Annual Salary: $88,000
Women working as actuaries get to use their math and analytical skills to help companies assess risk and make good financial decisions, all while earning a high salary — many experienced actuaries earn six figures. However, the gender gap in actuary roles has widened in recent years, with only about 1 in 4 actuaries being a woman.
Most actuaries work in the insurance industry and hold a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, management science, statistics, or a similar field.
They also have to be good with numbers, adept at using computers and a variety of software, and good at communicating with people who don’t have the same vocabulary or background that they do.
The job responsibilities of an actuary include:
Use past data and current trends to model future events and expenses
Determine investments to make now that will offset future costs
Create reports based on models and other data
Find new ways to assess and mitigate uncertainty
Editor
Average Annual Salary: $84,000
If you’re a woman who loves all things literary and wants to earn far more money than the average author does, consider a career as an editor.
Written work needs to be edited to perfection before publication, and women with an eye for detail can thrive in this role. There are many outlets for written work, such as magazines and commercial scripts. For each of these mediums, there need to be editors to assess content before publishing.
Many female editors get training for their job by earning a bachelor’s degree in a subject like English or journalism. Some will go on to receive formal editing training or internships post-graduation.
The job responsibilities of an editor include:
Read written content
Correct spelling and grammar errors
Edit text to make it more readable
Conduct research to verify written facts
Discuss with writers to improve their work
Finalize written content before approving for publication
Paralegal
Average Annual Salary: $63,000
A paralegal role is a great fit for women who want a high-paying position where they can use their critical thinking, organization, and communication skills. Lawyers need help to complete the tasks of their job well, and they hire paralegals to assist them in this. Paralegals act as an assistant to a lawyer, doing tasks like organizing and drafting documents.
Becoming a paralegal doesn’t have nearly as many requirements as a law career does. However, some employers may want you to seek paralegal licensing options.
The job responsibilities of a paralegal include:
Contributing to preparation for trials
Assisting the lawyer in any background work they need to be done
Drafting legal documents
Arranging meetings
Investigating details of cases
Organizing and managing files
Graphic Designer
Average Annual Salary: $64,000
Women in this role come up with innovative designs to capture consumer attention, and they can earn a good living while doing so. Graphic design is a creative career path that focuses on making graphics for things like labels and advertising.
The majority of women who find success as a graphic designer have a bachelor’s degree, but it’s possible to make a design career out of stockpiling experience.
The job responsibilities of a graphic designer include:
Creating concepts for designs based on relevant brand information
Communicating concepts with clients to receive feedback
Illustrating designs from these concepts
Editing art until completion
Working with agencies and design teams
Collaborating on ideas
Reviewing final product
What are easy jobs that pay well?
Some easy jobs that pay well are:
What career is female-dominated?
Careers that are female-dominated are personal care workers. These are jobs that are health care assistants or home-based personal workers, and according to the ILOSTAT, personal care workers are 88% female.
What is the highest paying job for a woman?
The highest paying job for a woman is a veterinarian. This field was once dominated by males, but over recent years more women have gotten into the field.
What are the most common majors for women?
The most common majors for women to study are nursing, elementary education, and interior design. The majors that have the least amount of women in them are mechanical engineering, physics, and computer sciences.
