According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women working full-time earn 80 percent of what men earn in the same positions. How can women help close this pay equity gap? One way is by pursuing a non-traditional career.

Blue Collar vs. Pink Collar Jobs

Over a decade ago I worked for a Twin Cities based non-profit helping women get into “blue collar” jobs in the construction trades, such as carpenter, cement mason, electrician, and brick-layer. These non-traditional jobs allow women to earn a higher wage than “pink collar” jobs in the helping or service fields. 

Many careers that are considered non-traditional for women pay 20-30% or higher wages than female-dominated jobs.  The difference in earnings between a woman in a traditional versus a non-traditional career paints a startling picture. Let’s say a woman has a traditional career as a childcare worker earning $10.07/hour. Over the course of 30 years, she will earn slightly over $628,000.  Next let’s take a look at a woman in non-traditional career as a carpenter earning $20.98/hour.  During a 30-year career, she will earn over $1.3 million. The lifetime difference in earnings between the traditional and the non-traditional career is a shocking $680,000. 

White Collar Jobs

Some women may prefer a “white collar” job. In a recent CNN.com article, “25 best-paying jobs for women,“ at least five of these jobs are both “white collar” and non-traditional. These jobs include: pharmacist, chief executive, computer software engineer, physician and surgeon, and physical therapist. While considered the best-paying jobs for women, they still earn less than their male counterparts for the same position. For example, a female pharmacist earns 86.1% of men in the same occupation.  

While some women are beginning to shatter the glass ceiling, others remain glued to the sticky floor.  The CNN.com article reports that “Only when women begin their post-MBA career at mid-management or above do they achieve parity in position with men…”.  

While the pay gap may remain for years to come, a non-traditional career is one way women can earn a higher salary.