Women in general are paid less than men. Let's have a look at job profiles that can help women bridge the salary gap which at times can be as large as 30%.
A woman fulfills the role of a provider in addition to being a homemaker. Despite shouldering enormous responsibilities, a woman often feels underpaid and unappreciated as compared to her male colleagues.
This is more likely in case of women who choose traditional jobs that do not require better skills or higher education. Often women neglect future earning potential by choosing jobs that have low barriers to entry. By doing so they usually end up with low pay, inflexible work hours and limited growth prospects.
Best Paying Careers for Women
Depending on the nature of the job and the kind of training required, careers for women can be classified into the following categories: Jobs requiring advanced degrees and jobs requiring high school diploma.
Many jobs provide women the opportunity to earn the same salary as their male counterparts. Some jobs also allow flexible work hours. It has been seen that women tend to excel in jobs that blend interpersonal and technical skills.
Jobs Requiring Advanced Degrees
Education Administrators:
They are required in schools and colleges. Women tend to make better education administrators. Hence they are paid as much as men, if not more. They must have an advanced degree in education.
Human Resource Managers:
Women are communicative and expressive. They have better people skills and in general enjoy any kind of interaction.
Human resource management is thus, a logical option for women. One would require a master's degree in industrial relations or a degree in human resource management in order to become a manager.
Financial Planners:
Financial planning is an excellent career for women. Many people prefer to consult financial planners and investment advisors to chalk out investment plans. Women patiently explain various investment options to a layman. Studies show that women financial planners earn more than men, since they are in short supply. This job requires a CFA/CFP certification.
Pharmacists:
This profession requires a Pharm.D., which is the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. Women pharmacists' salary can go as high as around USD 111,500 a year. Although men still earn more than women, the salary differential is not much.
Psychologists / College Professors / Teachers:
This job is tailor-made for women since they are observant, patient and have more empathy. These traits make them good psychologists or teachers.
Psychologists can work in schools and organizations. A master's degree in psychology is necessary in most cases. A woman psychologist can also practice independently. Private practice would provide her with the flexibility and independence that she desires.
This job, however requires a Ph.D. Having a doctorate in psychology or for that matter a doctorate in any subject would allow a woman to work as a professor. The earning potential of a psychologist and a college professor is quite high.
Jobs Requiring High School Diploma
Library Assistant:
This job involves assisting a librarian. The job is of a clerical nature and requires some knowledge of computers.
A desire to spend time with books will definitely help. This job does not require an advanced degree. This career path is dominated by women with a median salary of around USD 30,000.
Real Estate Broker:
This was a lucrative profession before the housing market crashed. This job requires between 30 and 90 hrs of classroom instruction. One needs to pass an exam to become a certified broker.
Choosing a home is generally a woman's prerogative. Moreover studies have shown that men are more likely to buy from women. Women can earn salaries as high as USD 148,000 per year with this job.
Human Resource Assistant:
A woman's salary, in this case, can reach up to USD 48,000 per year. Many human resource assistants are employed by the government.
There are a number of avenues open to women. In fact education grants are available to women desirous of pursuing higher education. Women entrepreneurs are given grants by many non-profit organizations. Ultimately a woman's earnings depend on the amount of time and energy that she is willing to invest in acquiring the necessary skills and education.