Women’s key role in society has ensured nations’ stability, progress, and development throughout history. For example, they worked as nurses, plane mechanics, truck drivers, and shipbuilders to free up men for the fight during World War II. Fast forward to now, and women continue to flourish in every field imaginable. Yet, while certain occupations have become more integrated, others remain overwhelmingly male or female-dominated. In this article, we’ll look at the 10 fields where women are in charge. These are referred to as “pink-collar fields” by economists, and while the pink-collar sector is booming, the earnings are stagnant. Continue reading to know all about these fields and their challenges. Scroll down! At present, women make up a larger share of educators than they have in decades. According to the U.S. Education Department data, the current trends in the teaching profession in the U.S. show that the field is 76% female (1). We must keep in mind that this category is extensive and includes preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school. The average base salary for a teacher these days is $55,100 per year (2).
2. Child Care Services
Percentage of Women Employed: 94% Child care workers typically work in daycare or other child care centers to attend to the basic needs of children, such as dressing, bathing, feeding, and overseeing play. They may also help children with school prep and homework. The percentage of female workforce in this field is a whopping 94%. The median pay of a child care worker stands at $23,240 per year (3).
3. Employment Services
Percentage of Women Employed: 72% Human resources is another field where an overwhelming majority of workers are women. In 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that 72% of HR managers were women (4). In 2017, that number increased to 86%. Despite their prominence in the field, women are still paid less, and male HR managers take home 23% more than their female coworkers.
4. Veterinarians
Percentage of Women Employed: 55% There is an extraordinary change in veterinary medicine with more number of women stepping in to fill this role. Since pet parents want more for their children than just basic vaccinations and flea control, the demand for vets and those who work with pets in a medical environment has increased drastically. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the current ratio stands at 55% female/45% male in the veterinary market, in both private and public sectors (5). But, here’s the catch: according to the AVMA starting salary calculator, female veterinarians have historically been paid $2,406.97 less than their male counterparts (6).
5. Social Services Workers
Percentage of Women Employed: 82% When we talk about social workers, about 82% of them are female. Women constitute 81.6% of social workers, 69.9% of counselors, and 82.4% of social and human service assistants (7). However, it is important to note that social work focuses on more than just day-to-day patient assessment. This field is committed to social justice and is comprised of community developers, advocates, and human rights activists as well.
6. Accountants
Percentage of Women Employed: 60% While traditionally seen as a male-dominated profession, accounting has transformed over the years to become more equal. But, this is hardly a new trend. In fact, it goes back to 1983 when women began to gain ground in the profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women made up 39% of the accountants in the U.S workforce in 1983. By 2012, 60% of accountants were women. However, even today, women are vastly underrepresented in upper-level management, leadership, partnership, and committee positions (8).
7. Registered Nurses
Percentage of Women Employed: 92.3% According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 92.3% of registered nurses are female. Nursing has held its value and status as one of the most female-dominated professions out there. This role includes caring for patients, treating them under the supervision of physicians, and advising patients in aftercare. However, guess who gets paid more in this industry? You guessed it. In nursing, it still pays more to be a man. Male nurses make an average of $84,000 annually, and female nurses make about $80,000 (7).
8. Leisure And Hospitality
Percentage of Women Employed: 55% According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hospitality labor workforce in the United States is 55% female (7). While more than half of the hospitality workforce is comprised of women, few have risen to the management level. Women make up only 23% of senior management positions in this industry. (9).
9. Pharmaceutical And Medicine Manufacturing
Percentage of Women Employed: 54.6% Less than two decades ago, fewer than 40% of pharmacists were women. As of 2016, that number has gone up to a solid 54.6%, and more than half of all pharmacists in the U.S are female. The typical pharmacist makes about $121,000. It is interesting to note that this occupation’s gender wage gap is nearly non-existent. Female pharmacists take home about 97% of what their male counterparts earn (10).
10. Public Relations Services
Percentage of Women Employed: 63% According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women account for 63% of public relations specialist roles and 59% of PR management positions. While women dominate almost every level of PR, the executive level seems hardly touched by females. The Organization of American Women in Public Relations came out with a report showing that although women represent two-thirds of the global PR industry, 78% of the CEOs in the top 30 PR agencies worldwide are men, and they also occupy about 62% of seats in the PR boardroom (11). What percent of CEOs are female? Of all the Fortune 500 companies, only 15% of CEOs are women. What industries need more women? Male-dominated industries are IT & software, piloting, construction, finance, engineering, architecture, electric and plumbing, groundskeeping, and automotive need more women to balance the equality gap. What percent of the labor force is female? Over the years, the number of working women has fluctuated. But recently, the female labor force amounted to 57.4%. The highest female labor force percentage was in 1999 when it reached 60%. Why are there fewer female managers? Sterotypical gender-discriminatory factors lead to women having fewer management opportunities than men. For example, while a man may get a leadership position because he is a father, a woman would be passed over for being a mom. Which country has the lowest female employment rate? Yemen has the lowest female employment rate, reaching 6% in 2021.
