10 Highest-Paying Careers Dominated by Women

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A report released by the Pew Research Center noted that women typically earn 82 cents for every dollar a man earns. The most recent data from the National Women’s Law Center shows that as of 2023, women were paid only 83 cents for every dollar men earned, which translates to $11,550 less annually — that’s a good amount of money. Based on estimates from 2024 by the World Economic Forum, it could take 134 years or about five generations to close the pay gap globally. 

Resume Genius recently released a list of the highest-paying careers in which women represent a majority of the workforce. The objective was to find high-paying jobs with a representation rate over 50.1%. Below we explore the highest-paying careers dominated by women and share advice on what can be done to close the gender pay gap.

Also here is the gender pay gap in every state.

The Highest Paying Careers Dominated by Women 

Nurse Anesthetist

• Median annual salary: $197,523
• Proportion of women: 55%

Pharmacist

• Median annual salary: $128,132
• Proportion of women: 57%

Physician Assistant

• Median annual salary: $115,573
• Proportion of women: 64%

Veterinarian

• Median annual salary: $115,521
• Proportion of women: 63%

Nurse Practitioner

• Median annual salary: $ 114,981
• Proportion of women: 63%

Judge, Magistrate, and Other Judicial Workers

• Median annual salary: $100,993
• Proportion of women: 54%

Human Resources Manager

• Median annual salary: $92,335
• Proportion of women: 75%

Marketing Manager

• Median annual salary: $85,327
• Proportion of women: 61%

Physical Therapist

• Median annual salary: $82,476
• Proportion of women: 58%

Technical Writer

• Median annual salary: $82,147
• Proportion of women: 56%

How Women Can Overcome the Gender Pay Gap

Stay Informed of Wages

Sam DeMase, career expert from ZipRecruiter, said the key to closing the gender pay gap is a combination of knowledge and transparency.

“Pay is the single most important factor when job seekers are considering job opportunities and women must arm themselves with the knowledge to make more informed decisions about where to spend their time and more easily narrow their search,” she said.

You want to be aware of wages in your industry so that you’re being compensated fairly. While it won’t always be possible to earn the highest wage in every role due to experience and job availability, it helps to be informed of your industry. 

“Understanding one’s market value and benchmarking salaries within their industry can provide women the confidence level needed to push for fair compensation based on facts,” explained Einat Steklov, co-founder and CEO of Kashable. It will help to constantly review pay trends based on your experience level so that you can earn the best wage possible. This leads us to the next point.

Always Negotiate Pay To Ensure Fairness 

“Women can take control by staying informed on pay trends, researching salary data and negotiating at every stage of their job search and career — whether it’s a job offer, a promotion or a performance review,” DeMase said.

DeMase shared that in many instances, women don’t realize they’re being underpaid compared to their male counterparts, which is why salary transparency is crucial.

“Talking openly about pay with coworkers of all genders and using tools like ZipRecruiter’s salary estimator can help women understand where they stand,” she explained. The more you know about pay in your industry, the better you can advocate for yourself to help close the pay gap. 

Try Not To Settle or Wait for Higher Paying Opportunities 

“Don’t settle for waiting to be offered a promotion,” said Melanie Musson, finance expert with Clearsurance.com. “If you wait to be noticed, one of your peers is likely actively grabbing attention.” 

Musson stressed the importance of being proactive and putting yourself out there. This could include finding opportunities for a training course related to your position or asking about upcoming promotions. If you find any discrepancies in pay, you’ll want to bring them to the attention of your supervisor or the Human Resources department. 

Closing the Gender Pay Gap Moving Forward

DeMase pointed out that closing the gender pay gap isn’t solely on women and that employers play a significant role.

“Fair pay starts with clear salary data, transparent promotion criteria and workplace policies that support women — including working moms who are balancing career and caregiving — with the flexibility they need,” DeMase said.

Steklov added that closing the gender pay gap requires our society as a whole to decide that it’s time to close the pay gap between men and women. This would require everyone’s commitment to fair compensation policies and work conditions to encourage women to build careers and advance. 

“Employers, policymakers and institutions must implement equitable pay structures and foster workplace cultures where transparency and fairness are the norm,” Steklov said. “Expanding access to financial education can further equip women to navigate economic challenges and build lasting wealth. By combining individual financial empowerment with systemic reforms, we can drive meaningful progress toward closing the gender pay gap and achieving long-term financial equity.”

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