Top Careers for Women

The top careers for women include those careers that pay well, allow women to balance work and family and also provide opportunities for career stability or advancement. Choose your career based on your strengths and your goals for the future.

Nursing has remained one of the top careers for women for years because of its high demand, good pay and flexible scheduling options. If you enjoy caring for others and you're not grossed out by bodily fluids or functions, a nursing degree could set you up to write your own ticket throughout your career.

A woman's ability to handle multiple problems at once, relate well with coworkers and see the big picture, makes a career in management a natural choice. You can also choose a management career within any number of career fields like sports, finance, government or technology. Depending on your field of choice, you may experience long work hours and a high-stress environment, particularly as you move up the ladder to more prominent positions; however, you can also expect a solid salary.

If you love to exercise and you're passionate about promoting fitness in others, a career as a fitness instructor could offer you the flexibility and job satisfaction that you're looking for. Jobs as group exercise instructors, personal trainers and specialty fitness instructors will continue gaining popularity as Americans continue to struggle with their health habits. Positions usually pay by the hour and allow you to set your schedule based on the classes you teach and the clients you instruct.

Web design and development jobs rank as top careers for women partly due to the fact that so few women currently work in the field. It's a shame, really, since many web design or development positions offer a flexible schedule with telecommute options. Once you've developed a portfolio of the work you've done, you can even start working from home as a freelance designer.

Working as a pharmacist ranked as CNNMoney.com's second highest-paying career for women in 2010. Not only can you expect high pay, you can also rely on steady hours and the potential to open your own pharmacy. Pharmacists have to receive extensive education and experience within the field before practicing on their own, but if you don't mind putting in the work for a high-paying career, becoming a pharmacist could fit the bill.

Like nursing, teaching has remained a top career for women for years because of the schedule easily accomodates family life. You can choose the age level and the subject matter that you're most interested in teaching, and you can enjoy following a work schedule that melds perfectly with your children's school schedule. You'll need a degree in education with appropriate state credentials in the subject matter areas that you want to teach.

You won't find many females in engineering, but that's not because it's a bad choice for women. Women who enjoy math and science can flourish in engineering, choosing between careers like chemical, mechanical, environmental or electrical engineering. Because so few women work in the field, employers often want to fill open positions with female candidates, making it a relatively stable work environment.

Didn't see your preferred career on this list? That doesn't mean it's not a great option. Women can carve out successful careers in any field. Any of these top careers for women are worthy of consideration:

• Best Paying Careers for Women
• Jobs for Stay at Home Moms
• Careers that Offer Flexibility