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How Does Your Mind Work?

Career Choice Ranking for Men and Women


Whatever men and women might claim as their top career choice, data here shows us the reality. This table ranks careers based on the number of men and women employed in that occupation. Derived from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it also shows the number of men and women employed in each occupation, and the percentage of men and women in each career choice.

Occupation # Employed in this Occupation (thousands) Career Choice Ranking % Employed in this Occupation
Men Women Men Women Men Women
Sort ↓↑ Sort ↓↑ Sort ↓↑ Sort ↓↑ Sort ↓↑ Sort ↓↑ Sort ↓↑
Secretaries and administrative assistants 73 2,611 153 1 3% 97%
Elementary and middle school teachers 403 1,801 34 2 18% 82%
Registered nurses 151 1,654 95 3 8% 92%
Nursing psychiatric and home health aides 153 1,181 94 4 11% 89%
Cashiers 363 1,064 42 5 25% 75%
Customer service representatives 480 1,010 27 6 32% 68%
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers 1,386 979 2 7 59% 41%
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support 447 953 30 8 32% 68%
Bookkeeping accounting and auditing clerks 102 861 124 9 11% 89%
Accountants and auditors 529 855 21 10 38% 62%
Receptionists and information clerks 76 846 148 11 8% 92%
Retail salespersons 1,060 810 6 12 57% 43%
Maids and housekeeping cleaners 105 724 119 13 13% 87%
Secondary school teachers 460 577 28 14 44% 56%
Office clerks general 98 574 126 15 15% 85%
Waiters and waitresses 292 556 51 16 34% 66%
Financial managers 446 503 31 17 47% 53%
Teacher assistants 50 496 190 18 9% 91%
Preschool and kindergarten teachers 19 495 249 19 4% 96%
Social workers 129 473 104 20 21% 79%
Education administrators 272 440 58 21 38% 62%
Cooks 766 433 10 22 64% 36%
Janitors and building cleaners 1,056 421 7 23 71% 29%
Human resources training and labor relations specialists 168 417 84 24 29% 71%
Child care workers 30 414 237 25 7% 93%
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 31 369 235 26 8% 92%
Stock clerks and order fillers 651 361 16 27 64% 36%
Counselors 154 345 93 28 31% 69%
Personal and home care aides 75 328 152 29 19% 81%
Special education teachers 55 327 179 30 14% 86%
Data entry keyers 79 324 145 31 20% 80%
Postsecondary teachers 485 323 25 32 60% 40%
Billing and posting clerks and machine operators 42 313 216 33 12% 88%
Medical and health services managers 123 308 107 34 29% 71%
Sales representatives wholesale and manufacturing 851 289 8 35 75% 25%
Marketing and sales managers 445 283 32 36 61% 39%
Real estate brokers and sales agents 213 275 68 37 44% 56%
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers 179 272 79 38 40% 60%
Tellers 26 270 245 39 9% 91%
Paralegals and legal assistants 50 261 191 40 16% 84%
Hairdressers hairstylists and cosmetologists 27 258 243 41 9% 91%
Chief executives 790 253 9 42 76% 24%
First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers 673 250 14 43 73% 27%
Food service managers 345 249 44 44 58% 42%
Packers and packagers hand 137 240 99 45 36% 64%
Inspectors testers sorters samplers and weighers 380 237 38 46 62% 38%
Health diagnosing and treating practitioner support technicians 53 237 185 47 18% 82%
General and operations managers 528 226 22 48 70% 30%
Designers 282 218 57 49 56% 44%
Laborers and freight stock and material movers hand 1,173 210 4 50 85% 15%
Loan counselors and officers 178 210 80 51 46% 54%
Word processors and typists 10 206 260 52 5% 95%
Insurance claims and policy processing clerks 35 204 227 53 15% 85%
Lawyers 395 203 36 54 66% 34%
File clerks 54 201 183 55 21% 79%
Computer scientists and systems analysts 449 198 29 56 69% 31%
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians 82 197 142 57 29% 71%
Property real estate and community association managers 149 193 96 58 44% 56%
Food preparation workers 149 189 97 59 44% 56%
Human resources managers 75 188 150 60 29% 71%
Physicians and surgeons 375 187 40 61 67% 33%
Other teachers and instructors 120 187 110 62 39% 61%
Insurance sales agents 162 178 88 63 48% 52%
Social and community service managers 82 176 141 64 32% 68%
Claims adjusters appraisers examiners and investigators 102 174 121 65 37% 63%
Sewing machine operators 64 171 167 66 27% 73%
Dispatchers 105 168 118 67 38% 62%
Computer software engineers 612 165 18 68 79% 21%
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers 662 162 15 69 80% 20%
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers 507 159 24 70 76% 24%
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders 132 159 103 71 45% 55%
Production planning and expediting clerks 123 152 109 72 45% 55%
Miscellaneous community and social service specialists 90 146 134 73 38% 62%
Purchasing agents except wholesale retail and farm products 126 145 106 74 46% 54%
Diagnostic related technologists and technicians 67 145 160 75 32% 68%
Miscellaneous legal support workers 37 144 226 76 20% 80%
Dental assistants 8 142 261 77 5% 95%
Bus drivers 213 141 67 78 60% 40%
Shipping receiving and traffic clerks 334 138 46 79 71% 29%
Librarians 25 137 247 80 15% 85%
Loan interviewers and clerks 45 134 207 81 25% 75%
Computer programmers 391 133 37 82 75% 25%
Management analysts 160 128 89 83 56% 44%
Payroll and timekeeping clerks 12 123 257 84 9% 91%
Electrical electronics and electromechanical assemblers 79 117 144 85 40% 60%
Bailiffs correctional officers and jailers 286 115 56 86 71% 29%
Bill and account collectors 60 115 171 87 34% 66%
Sales representatives services all other 257 112 59 88 70% 30%
Postal service mail carriers 185 110 76 89 63% 37%
Bartenders 102 107 125 90 49% 51%
Recreation and fitness workers 73 107 154 91 41% 59%
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers 2,657 101 1 92 96% 4%
Computer and information systems managers 227 100 63 93 69% 31%
Advertising sales agents 95 99 130 94 49% 51%
Interviewers except eligibility and loan 29 99 238 95 23% 77%
Combined food preparation and serving workers including fast food 34 98 230 96 26% 74%
Police and sheriff's patrol officers 573 97 19 97 86% 14%
Computer support specialists 215 95 66 98 69% 31%
Securities commodities and financial services sales agents 195 93 74 99 68% 32%
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks 44 90 209 100 33% 67%
Pharmacists 96 89 129 101 52% 48%
Computer operators 76 89 149 102 46% 54%
Medical records and health information technicians 15 88 251 103 15% 85%
Public relations specialists 49 86 196 104 36% 64%
Personal financial advisors 188 83 75 105 69% 31%
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers 43 82 213 106 34% 66%
Court municipal and license clerks 14 81 255 107 15% 85%
Insurance underwriters 31 79 233 108 28% 72%
Order clerks 42 77 217 109 35% 65%
Wholesale and retail buyers except farm products 77 75 147 110 51% 49%
Physical therapists 43 74 211 111 37% 63%
Purchasing managers 112 72 112 112 61% 39%
Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers 92 72 132 113 56% 44%
Telemarketers 28 70 240 114 29% 71%
Engineering technicians except drafters 287 67 55 115 81% 19%
Hotel motel and resort desk clerks 41 66 219 116 38% 62%
Hosts and hostesses restaurant lounge and coffee shop 12 65 258 117 16% 84%
Speech-language pathologists 7 60 262 118 10% 90%
Network systems and data communications analysts 195 59 73 119 77% 23%
Bakers 58 59 176 120 50% 50%
Editors 49 59 197 121 45% 55%
Postal service clerks 89 58 136 122 61% 39%
First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial work 120 57 111 123 68% 32%
Compliance officers except agriculture construction health safety and transportation 71 57 157 124 55% 45%
Butchers and other meat poultry and fish processing workers 206 56 69 125 79% 21%
Counter attendants cafeteria food concession and coffee shop 34 56 231 126 38% 62%
Medical scientists 70 55 158 127 56% 44%
Transportation attendants 22 55 248 128 29% 71%
Occupational therapists 5 55 263 129 8% 92%
Human resources assistants except payroll and timekeeping 5 55 265 130 8% 92%
Market and survey researchers 52 54 187 131 49% 51%
Library assistants clerical 5 54 264 132 8% 92%
Lodging managers 48 52 200 133 48% 52%
Mail clerks and mail machine operators except postal service 47 52 204 134 47% 53%
Postal service mail sorters processors and processing machine operators 59 50 174 135 54% 46%
Psychologists 32 50 232 136 39% 61%
Clergy 335 49 45 137 87% 13%
Biological scientists 56 49 178 138 53% 47%
Credit authorizers checkers and clerks 15 49 253 139 23% 77%
Dental hygienists 3 49 267 140 6% 94%
Industrial production managers 247 48 60 141 84% 16%
Counter and rental clerks 55 48 181 142 53% 47%
Graders and sorters agricultural products 15 48 252 143 24% 76%
Dietitians and nutritionists 3 47 266 144 6% 94%
Chefs and head cooks 229 46 62 145 83% 17%
Respiratory therapists 34 46 229 146 43% 57%
Travel agents 11 46 259 147 19% 81%
Computer automated teller and office machine repairers 291 45 52 148 87% 13%
Grounds maintenance workers 744 43 11 149 95% 5%
Tax examiners collectors and revenue agents 30 43 236 150 41% 59%
Writers and authors 27 43 241 151 39% 61%
Nonfarm animal caretakers 14 43 256 152 25% 75%
Drafters 144 42 98 153 77% 23%
Architects except naval 134 42 102 154 76% 24%
Food servers nonrestaurant 40 42 220 155 49% 51%
First-line supervisors/managers of gaming workers 40 41 221 156 49% 51%
Construction laborers 1,132 38 5 157 97% 3%
Operations research analysts 43 38 210 158 53% 47%
Gaming services workers 39 38 223 159 51% 49%
Advertising and promotions managers 28 38 239 160 42% 58%
Civil engineers 239 37 61 161 87% 13%
Medical dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians 39 37 222 162 51% 49%
Chemists and materials scientists 72 36 155 163 67% 33%
Tax preparers 16 36 250 164 31% 69%
Weighers measurers checkers and samplers recordkeeping 26 35 246 165 43% 57%
Budget analysts 14 35 254 166 29% 71%
Network and computer systems administrators 166 34 85 167 83% 17%
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics 110 34 114 168 76% 24%
Financial analysts 41 33 218 169 55% 45%
Welding soldering and brazing workers 518 32 23 170 94% 6%
Appraisers and assessors of real estate 42 32 214 171 57% 43%
Industrial truck and tractor operators 483 31 26 172 94% 6%
Couriers and messengers 182 31 78 173 85% 15%
Detectives and criminal investigators 88 31 138 174 74% 26%
News analysts reporters and correspondents 31 31 234 175 50% 50%
First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers 27 31 242 176 47% 53%
Construction managers 400 30 35 177 93% 7%
Printing machine operators 170 30 83 178 85% 15%
Cutting punching and press machine setters operators and tenders 90 30 135 179 75% 25%
Judges magistrates and other judicial workers 43 30 212 180 59% 41%
Radio and telecommunications equipment installers and repairers 177 29 81 181 86% 14%
Supervisors transportation and material moving workers 164 29 87 182 85% 15%
Dishwashers 112 29 113 183 79% 21%
Private detectives and investigators 39 29 224 184 57% 43%
Transportation storage and distribution managers 200 28 71 185 88% 12%
Industrial engineers including health and safety 157 28 90 186 85% 15%
Artists and related workers 54 28 182 187 66% 34%
Producers and directors 48 28 201 188 63% 37%
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment 197 27 72 189 88% 12%
Food batchmakers 44 26 208 190 63% 37%
Physician assistants 26 26 244 191 50% 50%
Machinists 376 25 39 192 94% 6%
Chemical technicians 60 25 170 193 71% 29%
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs 155 24 92 194 87% 13%
Painting workers 155 23 91 195 87% 13%
Database administrators 58 23 175 196 72% 28%
Electrical and electronics engineers 309 22 49 197 93% 7%
Cutting workers 72 22 156 198 77% 23%
Administrative services managers 51 22 189 199 70% 30%
Athletes coaches umpires and related workers 102 21 122 200 83% 17%
Environmental scientists and geoscientists 66 21 164 201 76% 24%
Door-to-door sales workers news and street vendors and related workers 46 21 206 202 69% 31%
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers 626 20 17 203 97% 3%
Photographers 34 19 228 204 64% 36%
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics installers and repairers 289 18 53 205 94% 6%
Mechanical engineers 288 18 54 206 94% 6%
Carpenters 1,196 17 3 207 99% 1%
Painters construction and maintenance 367 17 41 208 96% 4%
Paper goods machine setters operators and tenders 42 16 215 209 72% 28%
First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives 105 15 120 210 88% 12%
Industrial and refractory machinery mechanics 430 14 33 211 97% 3%
Parts salespersons 109 14 115 212 89% 11%
Cost estimators 67 14 159 213 83% 17%
Electricians 734 13 12 214 98% 2%
Automotive service technicians and mechanics 711 13 13 215 98% 2%
Farm ranch and other agricultural managers 65 13 166 216 83% 17%
Molders and molding machine setters operators and tenders metal 46 13 205 217 78% 22%
Musicians singers and related workers 38 13 225 218 75% 25%
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators 356 11 43 219 97% 3%
Maintenance and repair workers general 294 11 50 220 96% 4%
Crushing grinding polishing mixing and blending workers 84 11 139 221 88% 12%
Baggage porters bellhops and concierges 49 11 199 222 82% 18%
Aerospace engineers 78 10 146 223 89% 11%
Fire fighters 219 9 64 224 96% 4%
Telecommunications line installers and repairers 136 9 100 225 94% 6%
Engineering managers 80 9 143 226 90% 10%
Construction and building inspectors 75 9 151 227 89% 11%
Service station attendants 59 9 173 228 87% 13%
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians 129 8 105 229 94% 6%
Chemical processing machine setters operators and tenders 50 7 194 230 88% 12%
Grinding lapping polishing and buffing machine tool setters operators 48 7 202 231 87% 13%
Roofers 203 6 70 232 97% 3%
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers 92 6 131 233 94% 6%
Broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators 59 6 172 234 91% 9%
Sawing machine setters operators and tenders wood 48 6 203 235 89% 11%
Computer hardware engineers 66 5 163 236 93% 7%
Computer control programmers and operators 49 5 198 237 91% 9%
Sheet metal workers 123 4 108 238 97% 3%
Electrical power-line installers and repairers 102 4 123 239 96% 4%
Refuse and recyclable material collectors 62 4 169 240 94% 6%
Precision instrument and equipment repairers 50 4 192 241 93% 7%
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters 50 4 193 242 93% 7%
Heating air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers 311 3 48 243 99% 1%
First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping lawn service and groundskeeping workers 98 3 127 244 97% 3%
Highway maintenance workers 83 3 140 245 97% 3%
Millwrights 55 3 180 246 95% 5%
Security and fire alarm systems installers 53 3 186 247 95% 5%
Pipelayers plumbers pipefitters and steamfitters 547 2 20 248 100% 0%
Carpet floor and tile installers and finishers 176 2 82 249 99% 1%
Automotive body and related repairers 135 2 101 250 99% 1%
Helpers construction trades 108 2 116 251 98% 2%
Stationary engineers and boiler operators 105 2 117 252 98% 2%
Surveying and mapping technicians 96 2 128 253 98% 2%
Cement masons concrete finishers and terrazzo workers 88 2 137 254 98% 2%
Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators 67 2 161 255 97% 3%
Crane and tower operators 66 2 165 256 97% 3%
Logging workers 62 2 168 257 97% 3%
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists 325 1 47 258 100% 0%
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians and mechanics 216 1 65 259 100% 0%
Drywall installers ceiling tile installers and tapers 184 1 77 260 99% 1%
Tool and die makers 91 1 133 261 99% 1%
Structural iron and steel workers 57 1 177 262 98% 2%
Pest control workers 54 1 184 263 98% 2%
Locomotive engineers and operators 52 1 188 264 98% 2%
Brickmasons blockmasons and stonemasons 166 0 86 265 100% 0%
Dredge excavating and loading machine operators 67 0 162 266 100% 0%
Railroad conductors and yardmasters 50 0 195 267 100% 0%

* Data not shown where # employed in occupation is less than 50,000

Sources:

Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 2005 Household Data Annual Averages, U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

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