Secretary still most common job for women

U.S. Census says the top five jobs for women are the same today as they were in 1950s; secretary tops the list.

By Charyn Pfeuffer - MSN Living Editor Feb 7, 2013 11:08PM

We’re sorry, ladies. When it comes to top jobs for women, we haven’t made much progress since the ‘50s.

Jobs as secretaries, bank tellers or clerical workers, sales clerks, private household workers and teachers reigned supreme in the ‘50s – and they still do, reports The Week.

At that time, roughly 1.7 million women held positions as stenographers, typists or secretaries, cites the U.S. Census Bureau. It was a easy for women to have a full-time career and succeed without the commitment of a college degree. Simply attend a secretarial school, get the necessary training and women could start on a professional path.

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Flash forward to 2010 and secretaries and administrative assistants position still hold the No. 1 position. Believe it or not, more than four million workers made up this category between 2006 and 2010.

This career isn’t going anywhere either. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects close to a half-million new administrative assistant positions by 2020 or 12 perfect growth.

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"Every time a major new technology showed up, there were always predictions that this would spell the end of secretaries," Ray Weikal, spokesman for the International Association of Administrative Professionals told CNN Money. "You saw that with the development of electric typewriters, the personal computer and the internet, but every time technology gets more efficient, the amount of business increases. You continue to need people who can use those tools."

In the category of administrative assistants, women outnumber men more than 20 to 1, but still earn less than their male counterparts. Full-time female secretaries and administrative assistants earned an average salary of $34,304 in 2010, while men earned $39,641.

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"The good news is over the past 40 years, there are very few jobs in which women have not broken through," Cindia Cameron, organizing director at 9to5, National Association of Working Women told CNN Money. "The glass ceiling is cracking in all different directions, but the bad news is, there is still a sticky floor. Most women still work in traditionally female jobs, like administrative support."

Why do you think secretary is still the top job for women?

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