In the United Kingdom, approximately 15.49 million women aged 16 and over are employed, with 9.61 million working full-time and 5.88 million working part-time.
Employment for women has dropped slightly over the last year, likely due, in part, to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be difficult for women to work full-time in the UK, especially when issues like rising childcare costs and the gender pay gap (which is 7.4 per cent for full-time employees), are factored into the equation.
Working as a woman in the UK is challenging, but there are also lots of opportunities arising throughout the country, including opportunities in high-paying positions.
If you’re looking for general job-seeking information, this article on the most in-demand jobs in the UK is a good starting point. For more specific insight into the top careers for women in the UK, though, stick with this guide.
What Are the Top 10 High-Paying Careers for Women in the UK?
When they start searching for the top careers for women in the UK, a lot of women first look specifically into the top high-paying careers for women in the UK. Of course, salary matters a great deal, especially if you have to worry about extra expenses like childcare or high housing costs.
If you’re looking for a high-paying job, listed below are the 10 top careers for women in the United Kingdom with high salaries:
Job Description: Business managers oversee employees and handle day-to-day operations for various companies.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the best UK careers for women with high salary. It offers great pay and provides an opportunity to work in a leadership role.
Average Salary: £24K to £60K per year
Job Description: Lawyers represent clients and advocate for them in court.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a high-paying career for women, and it’s also less affected by the gender wage gap compared to many other careers.
Average Salary: £29K to £120K per year
Job Description: Broadcast journalists research stories and report them on TV.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Women often have lots of opportunities in the broadcast journalism field and can earn a high salary working in this industry.
Average Salary: £18K to £51K per year
Job Description: Accountants work with businesses and individuals to help them manage their finances.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Accounting is a high-paying career that’s in high demand, so there are lots of opportunities for women in this field.
Average Salary: £19K to £49K per year
Job Description: Marketing specialists work for various businesses to help them promote products and services.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is another example of UK careers for women with high salary, and it’s a great option for creative women in particular.
Average Salary: £20K to £41K per year
Job Description: Public relations specialists work with marketing and communications teams to ensure businesses are perceived well by the public.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a great career for women who want to work in the marketing/communications sector and earn a high salary.
Average Salary: £25K to £40K per year
Job Description: Head teachers oversee other teachers within a school, create curricula, and balance budgets.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Women often seek out careers in the education field, and this is one of the highest-paying options within that industry.
Average Salary: £41K to £84K per year
Job Description: Human resources directors oversee personnel and handle hiring, onboarding, firing, and more.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Women often seek out human resources-related careers, and this is one of the most lucrative options in this industry.
Average Salary: £97K to £150K per year
Job Description: Purchasing managers oversee all aspects of a company’s procurement strategy.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a high-paying career that’s in high demand right now, so there are lots of opportunities for women to earn a good salary in this position.
Average Salary: £40K to £50K per year
Job Description: Electrical engineers are in charge of planning, designing, and carrying out the development of various types of electrical equipment.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the top jobs for women in the UK who want to work in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field and earn a high salary.
Average Salary: £22K to £49K per year
What Are the Top 10 High Growth Careers for Women Working in the United Kingdom?
Another important factor for those searching for the top careers for women in the United Kingdom is growth potential. In other words, are there lots of companies hiring for a particular position? Is there room to rise within the company and enjoy promotions, pay raises, etc.?
If growth is important to you, listed below are 10 of the top high-growth careers for women in the UK to consider:
Job Description: Supply chain managers oversee all aspects of acquiring, producing, and distributing goods for a company.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the top jobs for women in the UK because it’s growing rapidly in response to increased ecommerce demands.
Average Salary: £28K to £56K per year
Job Description: Doctors work with patients to diagnose and treat various illnesses and injuries.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a high-paying career for women in the UK, and demand is rising in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Average Salary: £45K to £77K per year
Job Description: Nurses work with doctors to help them care for patients.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: There’s a high demand for nurses as well as doctors in the UK, so there are lots of job openings throughout the country.
Average Salary: £22K to £36K per year
Job Description: Psychologists work with clients to help them overcome mental health challenges.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Many people throughout the UK need help with their mental health, especially in the wake of the pandemic, so there’s a high demand for psychologists and mental health professionals.
Average Salary: £22K to £60K per year
Job Description: Life coaches work with clients to help them make big decisions, navigate career changes, and more.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Life coaching is an example of high-growth careers for women in the UK, especially those who aren’t afraid to strike out on their own and find clients by themselves.
Average Salary: £24K to £164K per year
Job Description: Social media managers help businesses handle their social media profiles.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: There’s a growing demand for social media professionals throughout the UK, so there are lots of opportunities for women who want to work in this industry.
Average Salary: £18K to £42K per year
Job Description: Digital marketing specialists help businesses handle various aspects of online marketing, such as SEO and blogging.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: Like social media marketing, there’s a strong demand for digital marketing experts at businesses throughout the UK.
Average Salary: £29K to £62K per year
Job Description: Customer service representatives handle customer issues (returns, exchanges, etc.) on behalf of various businesses.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: There’s a growing demand for customer service representatives to various companies in the UK, so there are lots of opportunities for women to find jobs in this field.
Average Salary: £16K to £25K per year
Job Description: Private tutors work with students to help them improve their grades and learn various skills.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a high-paying, high-demand job within the education sector for women who don’t want to take on a traditional teaching career.
Average Salary: £35K to £51K per year
Job Description: Estate agents handle the buying and selling of houses for clients.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the best jobs for women in the UK who want to earn a high salary and take advantage of the competitive real estate market.
Average Salary: £44K to £51K per year
What Are the Top 10 Most Rewarding Careers for Women Working in the UK?
Finally, women who are searching for top careers for women in the United Kingdom should also take in each position’s satisfaction rating. Listed below are 10 of the most rewarding careers for women working in the UK:
Job Description: Web developers write code and create websites, apps, software, and more.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the best jobs for women in the UK that provides a lot of satisfaction, similar to other STEM careers.
Average Salary: £18K to £39K per year
Job Description: Marketing managers work with marketing teams to oversee projects and ensure they’re carried out correctly.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a highly satisfying career for women interested in marketing to work toward.
Average Salary: £24K to £49K per year
Job Description: Delivery managers oversee various aspects of package acquisition and delivery.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a high-demand career for UK women that also has a higher-than-average satisfaction score.
Average Salary: £27K to £52K per year
Job Description: Data engineers build systems that collect and analyse company data.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: For women who want to work in STEM, this is another high-paying and highly satisfying career option.
Average Salary: £26K to £65K per year
Job Description: Customer success managers work with customers to guide them through the sales process.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the best careers for women in the UK, particularly those who are passionate about sales.
Average Salary: £33K to £52K per year
Job Description: Business development managers work with companies to help them create plans for growth and long-term success.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: For women who are passionate about businesses, a career as a business development manager is a highly rewarding and lucrative option.
Average Salary: £24K to £56K per year
Job Description: Sales managers oversee sales teams and make sure businesses are on track to reach their goals.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a great career for women interested in sales to make a difference and lead others to success.
Average Salary: £21K to £51K per year
Job Description: Dentists work with patients to diagnose, treat, and prevent issues with their teeth and gums.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is a high-paying career that is great for women who want to help and care for others.
Average Salary: £30K to £98K per year
Job Description: Enterprise architects handle all of the upkeep and maintenance related to a business’s IT networks.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: For women in the IT/STEM field, a career as an enterprise architect is highly lucrative and fulfilling.
Average Salary: £51K to £100K per year
Job Description: Product managers work with teams to help them make strategic decisions for planning and developing various products.
Why Is It a Top Career for Women in the UK: This is one of the best careers for women in the UK, particularly those who want to have a leadership role in the business sector.
Average Salary: £44K to £87K per year
How to Get Started in One of the Top Careers for Women in the United Kingdom?
Are you ready to land one of the top careers for women in the UK? Whether you’re most focused on salary, growth potential, satisfaction rating, or all of the above, these tips will help you streamline your search and increase your chances of getting hired:
Update Your CV
When was the last time you updated your CV? If it’s been a while, or if you can’t remember at all, now is a great time to look it over and make some improvements.
Expand Your Skill Set
If you haven’t done anything lately to expand your skill set, consider doing so. Can you take some courses to learn the basics of coding or SEO, for example?
Taking these kinds of steps show that you’re committed to expanding your career and continuing your education as you get older.
Practise Interview Questions
Practise answering and asking questions during a job interview.
Sit down with a friend or family member and have them ask you some common interview questions like, “why are you interested in this position?” or “can you tell me about your experience with [x]?”
Practice asking them some questions, too. For example, you could ask, “what does a typical day at this job look like?” or “how do you measure the success of each person in this position?”
Understand Work Visa Requirements
Finally, if you’re not a UK resident, make sure you understand the process of getting a job in the UK as a foreigner.
Generally speaking, you’ll need to get an offer from a qualified employer in the UK before you can qualify for a work visa. They can provide a certificate of sponsorship to help you get the proper paperwork so you can legally work in this country.
Final Thoughts on the Top Careers for Women in the UK
Now that you know more about the top careers for women in the UK (based on salary, satisfaction level, and growth potential), it’s time to start your search. Keep the tips listed in the previous section in mind so you can simplify the job hunt and find the right position for you.
If you need more help finding listings for the top careers for women in the United Kingdom, use the GrabJobs search tool. It’s easy to use, costs nothing, and allows you to narrow your search based on a variety of criteria.
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