Sadly, many women have to accept that they will be paid less than men for doing the same exact work. In fact, statistics indicate that women make an average of 82 cents for every dollar men make, which includes all races.

Along with the wage gap, women also have to accept that once they have a child, their pay and career will be hit harder, whereas men’s careers tend to take off after fatherhood. Research has shown that out of 41 countries, the United States is the only country that doesn’t offer paid parental leave. But there is good news, despite how frustrating and depressing these statistics are. There are a few exceptions to the rule. There are certain jobs where women have the opportunity to take home the bigger paychecks.

There are only 9 jobs where women usually make more than men:

1. Producers and directors

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Much like any career in the entertainment industry, securing a coveted position like producer or director isn’t easy. According to Careers In Film, there are fewer than 1000 studio-backed films released a year, and that means securing one of these high-paying positions is cutthroat. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t other options, like TV, social media, documentaries, Indie productions, and even advertisements, both locally and nationally.

The biggest requirement for a career as a director or producer is hands-on experience. The only way to do that is to actually work on set. That means you really have to build a resume from the ground up. You could find yourself interning or becoming an assistant for years before moving up the ranks.

According to Indeed, the average salary for a director is $82,495 per year, although this can vary wildly depending on the project. Where women can benefit is in the negotiations that are involved in pay. Aside from salaries depending on the length of each project, directors are also eligible for a percentage of the film or TV show’s earnings. This can even include royalties and streaming sales. That means a director’s pay is based more on the success of the project, putting women on a much more equal footing.

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2. Wholesale and retail buyers

Women have a leg up in this field simply because it’s generally dominated by women to begin with. Buyers do exactly what their job title describes. They choose the inventory sold in stores. According to Cheapism, women earn 1 cent more per dollar than men do as buyers. That comes out to about $6.00 more per week.

According to In Her Sight, all that glitters isn’t exactly gold, however. Because the industry is female-dominated, that means that the overall pay is less. Yup, you read that right. Women earn less than they should, and that’s why it’s somehow okay for them to earn more than the few men in the same role.

3. Postal service clerks

These aren’t mail carriers. Men still make more than women in that role. Postal service clerks work at post office counters, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make nearly 3 cents more than men in the same role. The BLS also estimates that the average salary falls just under $60k at $ 59,240. Another reason women might be earning more than men in the role is simply that they aren’t earning that much.

4. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks

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According to the BLS, women clerks of all kinds are earning more than their male counterparts, especially travel and ticket agents. Guess why? YUP! Women dominated the field. The median weekly salary for women is $766.00. For men? $681. The average median pay for a ticket agent, according to Glassdoor, is $40k.

5. Paralegals 

Women earn 5 cents more per dollar than men do as paralegals. This role is all about supporting attorneys who, guess what, even though more women are graduating from law school than ever before, are still earning less than male attorneys! According to the BLS, the average median salary of a paralegal is $61,010, but it does require at least an associate’s degree or certificate in paralegal studies. 

6. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians

Lab techs have a demanding job that isn’t exactly paid tremendously well, but if you appreciate the sciences and research as well as working in a more solo capacity without much engagement with co-workers, a lab tech isn’t a bad career endeavor. According to the BLS, women in the field make an average of $47,372, nearly $5,000 more per year than their male counterparts.

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7. Food prep and fast food employees

Women in food prep and food service in regular restaurants don’t earn as much as men, but for some reason, in fast food, they earn more. According to the BLS, they actually earn about 14 cents more per dollar. The average starting hourly pay for a fast food worker is just shy of $20, which is undoubtedly why women earn more in the role than men. 

8. Editors

Not exactly sure where this career will land with the rapid adoption of AI, but for now, women are earning around 3 cents more per dollar than men as editors. 

9. Models

According to Cheapism, “This is one job where the wage gap is completely reversed. Female models make quite a bit more than male models. Looking at a Forbes report that compared the 10 highest-paid female and male models over two years, women made a total of about $105 million while the men clocked in at about $7.6 million. 

Still, it’s hard to get excited about women outearning men in these fields. Why? Because the difference in pay for these jobs isn’t that substantial. On the other hand, when men are paid more than women in the same field, the differences are disheartening.

For example, findings from 2019 by the U.S. Census Bureau show that, even though women make up the majority of employees in careers like nursing assistants, registered nurses, cashiers, elementary school teachers, and childcare workers, they earn thousands of dollars less each year than their male co-workers.

So, why are women still not paid equally?

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One reason is that women want more flexibility with their schedules, specifically with things like maternity leave, in order to take care of their families. According to Harvard economist Claudia Goldin, we can see this in the legal, financial, and corporate sectors. It doesn’t exactly mean women are working less than their male peers, however, and that’s why this is such a ridiculous reason.

One not-so-ridiculous reason, however, is that women are not as aggressive when it comes to salary negotiating as men. One study found that “the framing of situations is a critical driver of gender differences in initiating negotiations.” This means that negotiating can be intimidating for women, whereas approaching a situation as an opportunity includes language that is “more polite and role-consistent.”

Unfortunately, even when women assert themselves in job negotiations, it often backfires. Harvard conducted a study and found that male evaluators will more likely penalize women who initiate negotiations than if a man initiated. The study also found that women are less willing to go through the negotiation process due to nervousness.

Does that mean women should stop demanding more? Absolutely not! The only way things change is when we insist that the status quo won’t cut it anymore.

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Nicole Weaver is a senior writer for Showbiz Cheat Sheet whose work has been featured in New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, and more.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted on March 25, 2015, and was updated with the latest information.