New research reveals out of 20 industries analysed, women received higher pay in only three of the sectors, keeping the gender pay gap on our radar in 2023.
Meaning women continue to be underpaid at work compared to men in at least 17 industries, according to Reboot (opens in new tab).
The Office of National Statistics (opens in new tab) (ONS) says overall, the gender pay gap has been declining slowly over the years, but recently the gap among full-time employees rose from 7.7% in 2021 to 8.3% in 2022.
We tell you the top industries women continue to be paid less in as well as the most.
Industries women are paid least in compared to men
Research by Reboot (opens in new tab) reveals the top ten industries with a gender pay gap.
| Industry | Pay gap (%) |
|---|---|
| Real estate activities | -31.12% |
| Information and communication | -26.07% |
| Education | -25.82% |
| Financial and insurance activities | -22.81% |
| Accommodation and food service activities | -21.82% |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | -19.59% |
| Administrative and support service activities | -19.17% |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | -17.19% |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | -17.15% |
| Human health and social work activities | -13.37% |
Here’s what you can take away:
- At least a quarter of industries pay men over 20% more than women.
- Real estate has the most significant gender pay gap whereby women get paid 31.12% less than men.
- The ‘financial and insurance activities’ sector consists of 44.04% women, yet they are still underpaid compared to men by 22.81%.
Industries women are paid most in compared to men
Women are paid more than men in only three of 20 industries analysed
| Industry | Pay gap (%) |
|---|---|
| Activities of households as employers of domestic personnel | +36.94% |
| Construction | +17.68% |
| Mining and quarrying | +9.64% |
The top paying industry for women compared to men doesn’t come as a shock as 72.31% of their workforce is women.
This also plays into conventional gender roles as ‘activities of households’ includes jobs such as maids, cooks, gardeners and babysitters.
In contrast, construction which is a male-dominated industry makes the list as only 14.66% of women represent the workforce.
Tasmyn Brittain works in construction and shares her experiences working in the industry: “There is a slight surprise if I turn up on a building site - most men seem taken aback to see a woman on site in full PPE.
I’m definitely outnumbered in the office in terms of women versus men. A lot of the women in construction, or at least my place of work tend to be in admin or HR roles, rather than physically working in the factories or on site.”
Out of eight of the 20 industries analysed, less than 30% of the workforce are women, so it seems women are paving their way into industries that treat them more fairly.
Read more
- Women are better budgeters but don’t realise it: how to boost your budgeting self-belief
- How to ask for a pay rise - and get one
- Five ways women can boost their pension savings
- 20 best places to work in the UK revealed
- Money saving tips for singles: single people worse off when it comes to saving and retirement
-
-
Seven ‘awful April’ price hikes – how to beat them and save money
A whole heap of price hikes are coming in this April – we run through the main ones along with ways to beat them and save money
-
State pension underpayment warning - have you been underpaid and eligible for more than £11,500?
Thousands of retirees, mainly women, are still owed money by the government after being underpaid their state pension. We explain what you need to know
-
Seven ‘awful April’ price hikes – how to beat them and save money
A whole heap of price hikes are coming in this April – we run through the main ones along with ways to beat them and save money
-
Car tax to rise by 10.1% in April: what the increase means for you
Vehicle excise duty will be increasing from 1 April, meaning higher costs for many motorists. We reveal clever ways to save money on your car tax.
-
Inflation rises to 10.4% as food prices surge: what does it mean for you?
As prices rise again, household finances are coming under a lot more pressure. We look at what’s increased and why, and how you can beat inflation
-
Selling VHS tapes: could your old videotape be worth over $25k?
Some VHS tapes can fetch a small fortune. If you’ve still got boxes of old 80s and 90s cassette tapes, it could be time to dust them off to try and make some cash. We explain what to check for and how to sell them
-
Tesco to slash triple Clubcard voucher exchange perk
Saving up and swapping your Tesco Clubcard vouchers to save money on treats like days out has always been a big part of the supermarket’s popular loyalty scheme.
-
Paying at the pump: why is my payment card pre-authorised for up to £120 when I fill up?
If you choose to ‘pay at the pump’ when filling up with fuel, your payment card could be pre-authorised for up to £120. We explain why this happens and what it means for motorists
-
TV Licence fee could see biggest rise in 20 years from 2024 – what are your options?
It’s time to ask whether you really need a TV Licence, as prices will rise in 2024 - we go through your options
-
Alcohol duty freeze – what does it mean for the price of a pint?
Jeremy Hunt postpones the expected alcohol duty rise and cuts the price of draught beer – we have all the details
