Following your passion is a huge step towards having a career that doesn’t feel like work. But, as you get older, you realise how important it is to be set up financially for the future. With the gender pay gap still a very real concern (in Australia, it is now 14.6 per cent), it’s important to be aware of which careers are the best for women and which high paying jobs are worth looking into.
Whether you’re still at school and trying to figure out what to study, or you’re looking at changing careers, we’ve listed the best careers for women.
The highest paying jobs for women:
According to the latest Australian Taxation Office data, these are the 20 highest paid jobs for women – however, don’t think that means they’re the jobs where women make more than men. Female neurosurgeons get paid $253,992 less than their male counterparts despite being the second-highest-paid professional women.
Judge — law, $355,844
Neurosurgeon, $323,682
Plastic and reconstructive surgeon, $281,608
Futures trader, $281,600
Vascular surgeon, $271,529
Gynaecologist; Obstetrician, $264,628
Gastroenterologist, $260,925
Magistrate, $260,161
Anaesthetist, $243,582
Ophthalmologist, $217,242
Cardiologist, $215,920
Urologist, $213,094
Surgeon — general, $210,796
Medical oncologist, $208,612
Specialist physicians — other, $207,599
Specialist physician — general medicine, $207,225
Otorhinolaryngologist, $200,136
Dermatologist, $195,030
Diagnostic and interventional radiologist, $180,695
Cardiothoracic surgeon, $175,500
Jobs women are excelling at:
Below are the jobs that provide women with job satisfaction, career advancement and a competitive salary.
Marketing and PR, $71,000
Event management, $80,000
Entrepreneurship, unlimited
Management, $175,000
Traditional trades and the armed forces, $64,000 – $91,000
Information and communications technology, $125,000
Human resources, $88,000
Creative industries, unlimited
Land and environment, $87,000
Healthcare, $70,000
This article originally appeared on marie claire