In academia, women now outpace men at every level: They earn the majority of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, federal data show.
But women still earn less in the workplace. The gender gap narrowed slightly in recent years but widened again in 2025, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute. Controlling for socioeconomic factors, women earned 18.6% less than men.
“It’s really depressing to say this, but I don’t see it being closed in this lifetime,” said Eva Chan, a career expert at Resume Genius, the jobseeker website.
March is Women’s History Month, and March 26 was Equal Pay Day. Accordingly, here’s a look at 10 high-paying careers that are dominated – or at least led – by women.
All of these fields pay six figures, or close to it, and employ more women than men.
“A lot of these are leadership or management roles,” Chan said. Several fall in the healthcare realm. They tend to require strong communication skills. They are generally AI-resistant.
Here are 10 high-paying, women-led fields
Here are the 10 fields, in descending order of median salary:
1. Financial manager. This job pays a median annual salary of $161,700, according to Labor Department data for 2024. Women make up 53% of the workforce. The field encompasses 868,600 jobs and is expected to grow by a robust 15% between 2024 and 2034.
Financial managers “review financial reports, create budgets, analyze data, and forecast future income and expenses,” Resume Genius reports.
2. Human resources manager. This field pays $140,030 and spans 221,900 workers, of whom 76% are women.
Human resources managers recruit, hire and oversee employee relations and workplace issues.
3. Pharmacist. This job pays $137,480, and the top 10% of earners pull down $172,040. Women make up 60% of pharmacists, who number 335,100.
This job requires more education that most: You generally need a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a license from your state.
4. Physician assistant. These workers earn a median salary of $133,260, and the top 10% get $182,200. The field is 73% women. Job growth is projected at 20% by 2034.
Physician assistants treat patients under a doctor’s oversight. The job generally requires a master’s degree.
5. Public relations and fundraising manager. This job pays $132,870. There are 128,900 positions nationwide, 70% held by women.
These workers “shape and protect a company’s public image,” Resume Genius reports. A bachelor’s degree should suffice.
6. Nurse practitioner. Median pay is $132,050, and top earners get $217,270. The field is 88% women, encompasses 382,700 positions and has a strong projected job growth of 35% by 2034.
Nurse practitioners provide “advanced patient care,” Resume Genius reports, often in specialties such as gerontology or mental health. You need at least a master’s degree.
7. Veterinarian. Vets make $125,510, and top earners receive $212,890. The field is 69% women and encompasses 86,400 jobs. Job growth is projected at a robust 10% by 2034.
Patients may growl or hiss at you.
8. Medical and health services manager. This rather vague-sounding job pays $117,960, with top earners getting $219,080. There are 616,200 positions, 74% held by women, and projected job growth is a whopping 23% by 2034.
These workers “oversee and coordinate healthcare services across facilities or departments,” the report says, supervising operations, managing staffing and budgets.
9. Occupational therapist. This job pays $98,340, and the top 10% of earners get $129,830. There are 160,000 positions, 88% filled by women. Job growth by 2034 is projected at 14%.
These workers help you rebuild skills for daily routines, recovering from illness or injury or coping with ongoing health conditions.
10. Speech-language pathologist. This field pays $95,410, with top earners getting $132,850. There are 187,400 positions, and 95% are filled by women. Job growth by 2034 is projected at 15%.
Speech-language pathologists work with people who have disorders involving speech, language and swallowing, sometimes from injuries, medical conditions or developmental delays.
You’ll probably need a master’s degree.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here are 10 high-paying jobs in women-led fields
Reporting by Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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