Women in the workforce continue to be compensated at a lower salary for most job functions than their male counterparts. They are paid an average of 17% less and are in the minority in fields that pay the most. This wage gap influences women’s decisions as to what career they should choose. Long gone are the days when women are pigeonholed into nursing and teaching professions. Each year, women shatter the glass ceiling and are successful in high level careers. More women than ever before are enrolled in college and are seeking positions that traditionally have been occupied by men.

If you are a woman in college, a college graduate, or a women looking to change jobs and boost your yearly salary, there are many professional careers you can select that pay a great salary. It is important to do extensive research and make wise career decisions before deciding what and where the best jobs are. Careful planning will be what it takes to land your dream job and achieve financial success.

In an annual ranking performed by Forbes in 2014, the bulk of positions for women are in the field of health care. Health care dominates the career board and is the fastest growing sector of the U.S. economy. High paying positions include pharmacists, nurse practitioners, physicians, physician’s assistants, medical and health services managers, speech pathologists and occupational therapists. Positions in the health care industry will continue to increase for women giving them excellent opportunities to secure a position with a high salary and an opportunity for promotions and wage increases.

Computer Science positions are also ranked among higher paying salaries in the workforce for women. Having exceptional technical skills is in very high demand especially in large companies. Employers will pay a much higher wage if you have a degree and are well trained. Positions in this field include software developers, computer programmers, systems analysts and information systems managers. Other notable high paying positions for women in the workforce include attorneys, CEO’s, human resource managers and psychologists.

The glass ceiling will continue to shatter each year when women continue to seek high quality education and pursue careers with higher pay.