The highest-paying jobs for women allow them to excel in fulfilling careers while earning competitive salaries. Understanding which careers offer the highest salaries can help you make a decision, whether you’re at the start of your professional journey or you plan on making a career change.
This article dives deep into the highest-paying jobs and best careers for women, exploring industries that range from healthcare to finance and technology. Regardless of your field, you’ll find roles where you can apply your skills and get rewarded.
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
Some of the highest-paying jobs for women are in healthcare, STEM fields, marketing, and management.
High-paying jobs for women offer exceptional variety, as roles range from highly technical to people-oriented positions with an emphasis on interpersonal skills.
The top-paid roles in healthcare are physicians and surgeons, with annual median salaries of $239,200 and higher.
One of the best-paid jobs for women that doesn’t require a degree is human resources management.
13 Highest-Paying Jobs For Women
Here’s a list of the highest-paying jobs for women sorted based on the median salary, starting with the most lucrative options.
#1. Physician
Being a physician is one of the best career options for women in healthcare. Physicians provide essential healthcare services by diagnosing illnesses and injuries before developing and administering proper treatments.
They work in clinical and nonclinical settings, performing physical exams, prescribing medications, and advising and educating patients. To become a physician, you typically need a bachelor’s degree, a medical degree, and 3–9 years of residency training.
This is one of the highest-paying jobs for women in the world, as the annual median salary is $239,200 or higher, which is equal to at least $115.00 per hour. The job outlook is 4%, which amounts to about 23,600 new openings each year. A well-written doctor’s resume can help you secure one of those spots.
#2. Surgeon
A surgeon is a type of physician who has specialized training that allows them to perform operations to treat diseases and injuries. The work of a surgeon includes diagnosing conditions that require surgeries, preparing patients, and conducting these complex procedures.
The requirements for becoming a surgeon are similar to becoming a physician. You need a bachelor’s degree, a medical degree, and a specialized residency program that typically lasts 5–7 years. On top of that, surgeon qualifications include board certification and necessary licensure.
Like physicians, surgeons have a median annual salary of $239,200 or higher and a job outlook of 4%. That makes this one of the highest-paying jobs for women in healthcare that requires not just theoretical knowledge and practical training but high precision and manual dexterity, critical thinking, and stamina.
#3. Marketing Manager
Marketing managers plan and execute programs and strategies to reach audiences and promote brands, products, and services. Their responsibilities include researching the market, competition, and target audience, extracting insights from analytics, and optimizing campaigns to drive revenue and reach business goals.
Typical entry-level education required includes a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field. Additionally, listing relevant certifications on your marketing manager resume can help you get ahead of the competition and secure a better compensation package, making one of the top jobs for women even better.
The impressive median annual pay of $156,580 makes this one of the highest-paying jobs for women. Plus, marketing managers have a faster-than-average job outlook of 8%, making the role fairly accessible if you have relevant qualifications.
#4. Human Resources Manager
Human resources (HR) managers are in charge of the administrative functions of an organization. This includes overseeing the recruitment and onboarding of new hires, managing employee relations, and ensuring compliance with labor laws.
This is one of the highest-paying jobs for women without a degree, as many employers prefer skills and relevant experience over a degree. Still, a bachelor’s degree—and even a master’s—can boost your chances of getting your foot in the door.
HR management is one of the top industries for women, with the average median salary being $136,350 per year. The job outlook is 6%, which means there are around 17,400 new projected openings each year. A human resources resume that grabs attention and optimally highlights your HR skills can help you secure one of those spots.
#5. Pharmacist
Pharmacists produce and dispense prescription medication and advise patients on their use and effects. Most of them work in pharmacies, including those in grocery stores, general stores, hospitals, private clinics, and other healthcare facilities. They need to have an extensive knowledge of different drugs, their use for treatments, and their side effects.
Aspiring pharmacists typically need to have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a license from their state’s pharmacy board. The majority of these healthcare professionals work full-time, sometimes putting in additional hours during nights, weekends, and holidays.
Pharmacy is one of the top industries for women as it offers a high median salary of $136,030 per year and a 5% job outlook. The industry offers the perfect balance of financial stability and intellectual engagement. If you want to maximize your chances of getting into this field and advancing your career, you should start with a strong pharmacist resume and cover letter.
#6. Public Relations Manager
Public relations (PR) managers design and maintain the public image of their clients or employers. They coordinate press releases, create campaigns, and communicate with media and audiences to improve reputation and visibility.
To become a PR manager, you usually need a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, or another relevant field. Some employers can ask for a master’s degree or even several years of work experience.
This is one of the best high-paying careers for women, with women making up over 66% of PR managers. A lucrative median pay of $130,480 per year and a high job outlook of 7% make it a solid pick if you have exceptional communication skills and interpersonal aptitude.
#7. Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are mid-level practitioners who provide all-encompassing healthcare services. They can assess and evaluate patients, order and analyze tests, conduct diagnoses, prescribe medications, and develop treatment plans.
To become a nurse practitioner, a professional needs a Master of Science in Nursing or a doctoral degree. On top of that, they need extensive clinical training before passing a certification exam specific to their specialty. Specialties include pediatrics, family practice, psychiatric practice, and more.
Nurse practitioners, anesthetists, and midwives have a median annual pay of $129,480, making it one of the highest-paying jobs for women. On top of that, the job outlook is 40%, which is exceptionally high and results in about 31,900 new openings each year.
#8. Veterinarian
Veterinarians provide medical care to animals, treating and protecting the health of pets, livestock animals, exotic species, and more. The work of a veterinarian encompasses everything from diagnosing illnesses and conditions to administering treatments, performing surgeries, and giving healthcare advice to owners.
To become a veterinarian, you need to get a doctoral degree after you’ve obtained a bachelor’s degree. Many professionals work in hospitals, private clinics, and laboratories. It’s also common for veterinarians to travel for work and visit farms, zoos, and other establishments with animals.
A median salary of $119,100 per year makes this another one of the numerous high-income jobs for women in healthcare. The job outlook for veterinarians is 19%, which is much faster than average and results in about 4,300 openings yearly. A veterinary cover letter and resume that demonstrate your skills can help you land one of these spots.
#9. Chemical Engineer
Chemical engineers apply their extensive knowledge in the fields of chemistry, physics, and engineering to design equipment, produce chemicals, develop pharmaceuticals, and more. They work in a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, energy, and biotechnology, typically in laboratory or office settings.
To become a chemical engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or another relevant engineering field. While some employers prefer candidates with completed internships or previous work experience, it is not mandatory to get into the field.
Chemical engineering is one of the highest-paying fields for women in STEM, with a median annual salary of $112,100. Plus, it’s one of the careers where the gender pay gap is the smallest. Additionally, a 10% job outlook is much faster than average, with about 1,400 new openings projected each year until 2033.
#10. Statistician
Statisticians analyze information to solve problems and provide valuable insights across various industries, such as finance, healthcare, and technology. They gather data, use mathematical models, and apply computational techniques to get results for decision-making processes.
Becoming a statistician requires a strong background in mathematics. Typical entry-level education includes a bachelor’s degree in mathematics or statistics, while some positions might require a master’s (or even a doctoral) degree.
A median annual salary of $104,860 makes this one of the highest-paying jobs for women in STEM fields. Moreover, the job outlook is 11%, which is much faster than average and results in about 2,500 new openings for statisticians each year.
#11. Medical Scientist
Medical scientists are research-oriented healthcare professionals who work on improving overall human health. They study diseases, develop treatments, and design and enhance medical technologies to advance the field of healthcare.
Medical scientists typically have doctoral degrees in biochemistry, pharmacology, or immunology. Depending on their sphere of research, they can earn a medical degree instead of a Ph.D. or even in addition to it.
The median annual wage for medical scientists is $100,890, and the job outlook is 11%. In addition to being one of the highest-paying jobs for women, this is a rewarding career that offers the chance to transition to STEM fields or contribute to solving critical health challenges.
#12. Physical Therapist
Physical therapists (PTs) help ill or injured people recover. Some of their key responsibilities include improving their patients’ mobility and reducing their pain after injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. PTs develop personalized treatment plans and assist patients in rehabilitation processes.
To become a physical therapist, you need a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a state license. In addition to all the physical therapist abilities and interpersonal skills, PTs also need to have physical stamina and endurance as they spend a lot of time on their feet.
A median salary of $99,710 per year makes this one of the highest-paying jobs for women in healthcare that doesn’t require on-the-job or residency training. A job outlook of 14% amounts to about 13,600 openings annually, and the best way to apply for one is with a strong physical therapist resume.
#13. Operations Research Analyst
Operations research analysts use their advanced knowledge of mathematics and statistics to solve complex problems. Their work helps improve operational processes, decision-making, and business efficiency.
Typical requirements to enter the industry include a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, engineering, or another related field. Employers can also ask for specialized knowledge in data analysis tools and programming languages like Python.
The technical expertise needed for the role makes it one of the highest-paying jobs for women on the path to STEM careers. A median annual salary is $83,640, and the job outlook is 23%, which results in 11,300 openings each year.
Closing Thoughts
Some of the most lucrative jobs with equal pay for women and men offer exceptional compensation packages and result in fulfilling careers. The roles vary from engineering to healthcare and require vastly different skill sets suitable for both people-oriented and research-oriented professionals.
While on the search for the highest-paying jobs for women, make sure to pick a career that aligns with your strengths, passions, and long-term goals. That way, your employment will turn into a vocation that won’t just secure your financial independence but long-lasting satisfaction and work-life balance.
