By Jenna Goudreau
Looking for a career change or new direction in 2012? You may want to start here.
In Pictures: The Best Jobs For Women In 2012
At
No. 1, post-secondary teachers top the list. Not only do women report very high
satisfaction rates
in the job, median annual earnings range from $59,000 (for foreign language and
literature teachers) to $94,000 (for law teachers), well above the average
household income in the U.S. Furthermore, the field is expected to grow by 15%
and features an average of 55,000 openings each year.
In fact, women are so fond of autonomy that they want to be the boss. The chief executive title features high satisfaction rates among women and an incredible $165,000 median salary, which also lands it on ForbesWoman's annual list of the best-paying jobs for
women. While they are currently only 25% of all CEOs, the ratio may be changing. In 2010, women received 44% of all MBA degrees granted, a 75% increase since 2000. Meanwhile, 40% of all private companies are now launched and owned by women.
See the 10 Worst Stereotypes About Powerful Women
Due to cultural influences, women have traditionally been and continue to be the primary caretakers for the family, says Shatkin, which may help explain why many of the best jobs also feature a fair amount of security. It may be hard to land a job as a post-secondary
teacher, anthropologist, oceanographer or natural sciences manager, but once in
the position turnover is low, according to Shatkin. In fact, women survey respondents ranked the importance of security above salary and advancement opportunities. "If you're caring for a family," he says, "job security is a top priority."
Find out Where America's Best Economies Are
Women also place more significance on a job's contribution to society than men, according to the survey, which may help explain why women enjoy working as clergy members. The position requires good interpersonal skills and verbal acumen, which Shatkin says women test better in, and gives back to the community in a highly meaningful way.
Similarly, medical professionals like dentists, optometrists and physicians are in a helping field and offer a very necessary and valuable service to society. Annual earnings for medical professionals range from $95,000 to $166,000, depending on specialty, and the jobs are projected to grow by 9% to 22% in the next several years.
Jobs with the lowest satisfaction rates among women include food preparers and servers (median salary: $19,000), retail salespeople ($21,000), production workers ($30,000) and secretaries and administrative assistants ($31,000).
See the Full List of the Best Jobs for Women in 2012
More from Forbes:
Where to Find America's Best Economies
The Best States for Business
The 10 Worst Stereotypes About Powerful Women
The Best Cities for Women in Business
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