10 Highest Paid Jobs For Women

Blog by Patrick Vernon on the 'Top 10 highest paid jobs for women' 

The gender pay gap is an ongoing debate, with women constantly fighting for equal pay, as overall they tend to earn less than men for doing exactly the same job.

This gap is apparently so large that women effectively work for free from the 9^th November until the end of the year, according to the Fawcett Society, which uses official statistics on hourly pay for full-time workers to determine this.

But it's not all bad news for women when it comes to the world of work. There are actually many jobs that pay them a very good salary! Here are ten of the highest paid jobs for women:

1. Marketing and Sales Directors

There are many careers that have typically had men at the top and they have changed very little over the years, making it extremely difficult for women to ever take these roles from men. However, marketing is a modern career and one that is ever evolving, thus making it easier for women to establish themselves in the important, high paid roles. A marketing or sales director could expect to earn around £90k a year.

1. Doctors

Until the 1960s fewer than 10% of British doctors were female. However, it is expected that by 2017, for the first time, there will be more female doctors in the UK than male doctors.

In 2015 medical practitioners were among the top 10 highest paid jobs in the UK, with average pay estimated around £80,628 and rising to around £113,000.

1. Lawyers

Young female lawyers (under 25) earn a reported 30% more than their male contemporaries. Although this trend appears to reverse once they cross over their mid-twenties, top lawyers can earn £80,000 and above.

1. Broadcasters

Those who work their way up the media ladder can enjoy a decent paycheck and women are doing pretty well for themselves within this profession. Clare Balding was the highest paid female TV presenter last year, raking in £1.2 million, whilst Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee is estimated to earn around £110,000 a year.

Although there are still some arguments that men appear in these roles more than women, the BBC - for example - are already addressing this by ensuring their ratio of male to female presenters is equal. So, where there is currently a man presenting a show, a woman is being brought in to co-host.

1. Authors
   There are many successful female authors. The highest earning woman in the UK is in fact author of the Harry Potter books, J.K Rowling – who is estimated to be worth £519 million. She has been particularly successful, but the top 10% of professional authors can expect to earn around £60,000 or more a year.

1. Accountants

Women are starting to top men within accountancy roles – the top earners can receive more than £44,000 a year.

1. Advertising and PR Directors

Advertising and PR is, much like marketing and sales, a more modern role that as a result has many women working within the top roles. Women can expect to earn £66,000 and above within these roles.

1. Senior Teachers

The teaching profession is dominated by women – out of the 365,000 teachers in England, 74% are female. Top earners can receive up to £100k.

1. Dentists

Dentistry has seen a significant increase in female dentists – highest earners can receive average salaries of £690,000, whilst many receive £100k and above.

1. HR Directors

The proportion of female HR Directors is rising and they are getting close to equaling males within the roles. They can expect to earn around £45,000.

However, higher pay means more responsibility, which in turn results in a higher level of stress. So, if you know a woman who works in one of these roles why not surprise her with a treat? Here are a few gift ideas for her that will enable the lady in your life to put her feet up and relax after a long hard day in the office.

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