While there have been great strides towards equality in the workplace in recent decades, it is obvious that major gender imbalances persist in many fields. In fact, there are some in which women hardly work at all. (These are the 30 countries with the smallest gender gap.)
There may be a number of reasons for this situation, the first and most obvious being longstanding gender discrimination, which persists despite years of equal rights legislation and changing societal norms. In addition, some jobs may have particular requirements, such as upper-body strength for firefighting, that deter women from applying. But that should be less of an issue where skill is more important than strength, as is the case with construction equipment operator — a job that is still 97% male. (Read here about the largest employer in every state.)
Click here to see 29 jobs held almost exclusively by men
Another factor may be work-life balance. Women often have to juggle jobs with child-rearing responsibilities, and some fields offer less flexibility than others. This may be an insurmountable obstacle in the absence of affordable universal childcare.
24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of popular jobs that are almost exclusively held by men. In all cases, men comprise well over 90% of the workforce. Some fields, notably skilled trades in the construction and automotive industries, stand out. In one category, automotive service technicians and mechanics, fewer than 1% of jobs are held by women.
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29. Industrial and refractory machinery mechanics
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 94.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 401,000 (377,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $53,612
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28. Underground mining machine operators
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 94.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 35,000 (33,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $.
Source: welcomia / iStock via Getty Images
27. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 94.4%
> Total full-time workforce: 108,000 (102,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $40,872
Source: stevecoleimages / Getty Images
26. Firefighters
> Pct. of workforce that is female: 95.0%
> Total full-time workforce: 320,000 (304,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $64,116
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25. Glaziers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 95.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 43,000 (41,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $.
Source: welcomia / iStock via Getty Images
24. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 95.5%
> Total full-time workforce: 665,000 (635,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $31,460
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Source: Professional Studio / E+ via Getty Images
23. Maintenance and repair workers, general
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 95.6%
> Total full-time workforce: 550,000 (526,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $46,540
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22. Helpers, construction trades
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 95.8%
> Total full-time workforce: 48,000 (46,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $.
Source: SafakOguz / iStock via Getty Images
21. Crane and tower operators
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 95.8%
> Total full-time workforce: 48,000 (46,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $.
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Source: c12 / iStock via Getty Images
20. Insulation workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 95.9%
> Total full-time workforce: 49,000 (47,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $.
Source: JohnnyGreig / E+ via Getty Images
19. Sheet metal workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.1%
> Total full-time workforce: 103,000 (99,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $47,060
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Source: Sushiman / iStock via Getty Images
18. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 81,000 (52,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $60,944
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Source: AHPhotoswpg / iStock via Getty Images
17. Cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 54,000 (78,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $40,664
Source: nuttiwut rodbangpong / iStock via Getty Images
16. Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.6%
> Total full-time workforce: 117,000 (113,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $40,040
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Source: Group4 Studio / E+ via Getty Images
15. Pest control workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.7%
> Total full-time workforce: 90,000 (87,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $38,948
Source: gorodenkoff / iStock via Getty Images
14. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.7%
> Total full-time workforce: 151,000 (146,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $60,528
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Source: Kerkez / iStock via Getty Images
13. Welding, soldering, and brazing workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 96.7%
> Total full-time workforce: 486,000 (471,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $43,628
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Source: ewg3D / E+ via Getty Images
12. Construction equipment operators
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 97.0%
> Total full-time workforce: 328,000 (317,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $50,908
Source: francescomoufotografo / iStock via Getty Images
11. Electricians
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 97.0%
> Total full-time workforce: 735,000 (713,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $53,248
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Source: ilkercelik / iStock via Getty Images
10. Construction laborers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 97.1%
> Total full-time workforce: 1,343,000 (1,304,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $40,716
Source: ALotOfPeople / iStock via Getty Images
9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 97.1%
> Total full-time workforce: 596,000 (579,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $62,400
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8. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 97.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 112,000 (109,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $99,996
Source: Jean-philippe WALLET / iStock via Getty Images
7. Carpenters
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 97.8%
> Total full-time workforce: 756,000 (739,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $46,384
Source: SerhiiBobyk / iStock via Getty Images
6. Automotive body and related repairers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 98.0%
> Total full-time workforce: 102,000 (100,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $47,008
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Source: 1001nights / E+ via Getty Images
5. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 98.1%
> Total full-time workforce: 312,000 (306,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $53,196
Source: Visivasnc / iStock via Getty Images
4. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 98.2%
> Total full-time workforce: 444,000 (436,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $52,104
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Source: CatLane / iStock via Getty Images
3. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 98.4%
> Total full-time workforce: 382,000 (377,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $52,156
Source: zhengzaishuru / iStock via Getty Images
2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 98.6%
> Total full-time workforce: 139,000 (136,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $65,936
Source: skynesher / E+ via Getty Images
1. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
> Pct. of workforce that is male: 99.3%
> Total full-time workforce: 585,000 (581,000 male workers)
> Median annual earnings for full-time workers: $44,460
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