FL industries where women outearn men have surprises.
While the gender wage gap is a well-known and debated subject, a recent analysis from Osum, an AI-driven market research firm, contains some surprise findings concerning fields where female business owners outperform men in earnings, according to a recent article by Laura Lyon of Business Observer.
The research, States With The Most Successful Female Business Owners, identifies the top five industries for female-led earnings as car dealerships, clothes stores, crop production, family services, and advertising/public relations. In 11 industries, female business owners earn more than male business owners.
According to the research, the most popular businesses for women in Florida are real estate, home services (like cleaning), and beauty salons.
| Average salary, women vs. men | |||
| Industry | Female Business Owners | Male Business Owners | Difference |
| Car Dealerships | $122,868 | $65,944 | $56,924 |
| Clothing Stores | $69,642 | $46,391 | $23,251 |
| Crop Production | $111,345 | $98,547 | $12,798 |
| Family Services (e.g. Social Assistance) | $87,235 | $76,534 | $10,701 |
| Advertising and PR Services | $86,519 | $77,761 | $8,758 |
| Landscaping Services | $41,708 | $35,805 | $5,903 |
| Film and Video Production | $72,148 | $67,173 | $4,975 |
| Event Promoters and Talent Management | $31,189 | $26,405 | $4,784 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $60,998 | $56,398 | $4,600 |
| Furniture and Home Stores | $68,978 | $67,753 | $1,225 |
| Data Processing Services | $32,631 | $31,509 | $1,122 |
Osum contacted several successful female entrepreneurs to seek their feedback on the findings and what else they believed might be done to encourage female entrepreneurship.
Kari Byron, EXPLR co-founder and co-director of the National STEM Festival, stated, “I believe that small business loans exclusively for women would be an excellent approach to foster new firms. Furthermore, I believe that any program that allows women to be versatile — to be a mother, a woman, and a boss — will boost female success and entrepreneurship countrywide.”
This data is part of Osum’s bigger research of the states with the most successful female entrepreneurs. Florida ranked 27th in these rankings.