Recent research conducted by personal finance experts Wealth of Geeks has unveiled a surprising trend in the workforce: women are out-earning men in specific job roles.
Analysing gender pay gap data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Wealth of Geeks identified the top 10 occupations where women earn more than men on average.
Topping the list are community and civil enforcement occupations, where women earn a staggering 28.9 percent more than their male counterparts.
Community and civil enforcement officers, responsible for ensuring compliance with parking regulations, see women earning an average of £16.11 per hour, compared to men earning £12.50 per hour.
Following closely behind are welfare professionals, with a gender pay gap of 20.9 percent. Women in this field earn an average hourly wage of £20.77, while men earn £17.18 per hour. These professionals provide crucial support and rehabilitation services to individuals, including overseeing adoption processes.
Biological scientists secured the third spot, with a pay gap of 20.6 percent. Women in this field earn £20.30 per hour on average, while men earn £16.84 hourly. Their work involves studying living organisms and their environments, contributing significantly to scientific research.
Hire services managers and proprietors claimed the fourth position, with women earning an average of £14.52 per hour compared to men’s £12.07—an hourly difference of £2.45 and a pay gap of 20.3 percent. Personal assistants and secretaries followed closely, with a 17.1 percent pay gap, where women earn £14.37 per hour on average, compared to men’s £12.27.
Further down the list, special needs education teaching professionals, veterinarians, and occupational therapists also featured, with pay gaps ranging from 13.2 percent to 16.8 percent. Interestingly, social and humanities scientists saw women earning 12.4 percent more than men on average, reflecting a shift in traditional gender pay dynamics.
A “drastic difference”
Commenting on the findings, Michael Dinich, a spokesperson from Wealth of Geeks, remarked, “It is fascinating to see such a drastic difference in hourly pay between men and women in these roles.” He suggests that these findings could potentially inspire career changes for some individuals who may have been affected by the gender pay gap.
This research sheds light on the evolving landscape of gender pay differentials within various industries, highlighting opportunities where women are not only breaking the glass ceiling but surpassing their male counterparts in earnings.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
