Women hold 76% of all health care jobs, gaining in higher-paying occupations

Jennifer Cheeseman Day and Cheridan Christnacht

Special to Village News

Women have driven 80% of the overall growth in the booming health care field since the turn of the century.

The number of full-time, year-round workers in health care occupations has almost doubled since 2000, increasing from 5 million to 9 million workers, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Women account for three-quarters of full-time, year-round health care workers.

Since 2000, median earnings for women in health care have increased, in part from their growing numbers in higher earning occu...