# What careers can an attractive young woman make a good living at **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149 "2015-03-16T21:27:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/1 "2015-03-16T21:27:29Z")
Just out of curiosity. The obvious one is prostitution, and there are other careers where a woman can tease with her sexuality like a stripper in exchange for money. But what else is there? Do attractive women earn good money as real estate agents, pharma reps, waitress, bottle girl at least compared to less attractive women or men? As a believer in reincarnation I will need the answer by 2093 at the latest. ---
**Author:** ![CinnamonBabka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@CinnamonBabka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CinnamonBabka)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/2 "2015-03-16T21:32:22Z")
Software Engineering pays pretty well these days. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/3 "2015-03-16T21:34:57Z")
What careers can an attractive woman use where she can take advantage of her looks to make far more money than unattractive people would earn for the same job? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/4 "2015-03-16T21:35:58Z")
Are there jobs that attractive young women can’t make a good living at? Even if it’s a job that no one can make a good living at they’ll do better than unattractive or old women or men. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/5 "2015-03-16T21:39:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Are there jobs that attractive young women can’t make a good living at? Even if it’s a job that no one can make a good living at they’ll do better than unattractive or old women or men. Yes but in some careers you’d assume the difference is far bigger. I’m assuming jobs where a woman works with horny men (preferably middle aged, well off horny men) or maybe the public at large would pay far better than jobs where she works in a science lab. When I was looking into hiring housekeepers and someone to clean, there were a few ads for women charging far more to clean your house while wearing only their underwear. I didn’t take them up, but they were charging 2x as much for the same service because they teased sexually at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/6 "2015-03-16T21:59:10Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Yes but in some careers you’d assume the difference is far bigger. I’m assuming jobs where a woman works with horny men (preferably middle aged, well off horny men) or maybe the public at large would pay far better than jobs where she works in a science lab. > > When I was looking into hiring housekeepers and someone to clean, there were a few ads for women charging far more to clean your house while wearing only their underwear. I didn’t take them up, but they were charging 2x as much for the same service because they teased sexually at the same time. If you’re looking for 2X the average pay you’ll be limited to jobs that only young attractive women are in demand for. That’s going to be primarily the sex industry, from the outer edge in mainstream entertainment to the other extreme of prostitution. It’s really about your level of talent. A mainstream entertainer will do much better than average if she’s attractive, but that business is highly competitive and simply being attractive may be an insufficient basis for a career. An attractive young saleswoman can make 2X the average if she’s got a lot of nerds for customers, but she has to do the work and close the sales to be the star. On the other hand the more attractive porn stars attract more money and somewhat less talent may be all that’s required. If all else fails, there’s always gold-digging. Men are idiots, we’ll believe you love us and we’ll marry you and then you’ve got half our stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/7 "2015-03-16T22:20:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > If all else fails, there’s always gold-digging. Men are idiots, we’ll believe you love us and we’ll marry you and then you’ve got half our stuff. Yup. Trophy wife, I forgot about that career choice. Not that I’m complaining, it is good work if you can get it. I’d be open to it but nobody is hiring. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/8 "2015-03-16T22:34:50Z")
Seriously? > [@](#): > > What careers can an attractive young woman make a good living at > Just out of curiosity. The obvious one is prostitution, and there are other careers where a woman can tease with her sexuality like a stripper in exchange for money. But what else is there? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/9 "2015-03-16T22:38:46Z")
Mad Men called. They want their premise for the first season back. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/10 "2015-03-16T22:42:21Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What careers can an attractive woman use where she can take advantage of her looks to make far more money than unattractive people would earn for the same job? Acting or modeling. And also sales. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/11 "2015-03-16T22:49:26Z")
News reporter ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/12 "2015-03-16T22:51:51Z")
The stereotypical pharma rep bimbo is alive and well here in middle USA. Confirmation bias, I’m sure, but I deal with a lot of hospitals and doctors offices, and the way some of these women are dressed … well… let’s just say it draws attention. Does it benefit their bottom line? Beats me. Do other pharma reps that aren’t knock out babes exist and do well? I’m sure they do, but I don’t notice them. The ones that cause me to say things to myself are what stick in my recollection. Maybe cocktail waitress? Or any bar/restaurant wait staff. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/13 "2015-03-16T22:56:20Z")
Ooh, how about a pop singer? The only real prerequisites are that you are extremely attractive, can dance a bit, and hate music. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/14 "2015-03-16T23:19:15Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > The stereotypical pharma rep bimbo is alive and well here in middle USA. Confirmation bias, I’m sure, but I deal with a lot of hospitals and doctors offices, and the way some of these women are dressed … well… let’s just say it draws attention. > > Does it benefit their bottom line? Beats me. > > Do other pharma reps that aren’t knock out babes exist and do well? I’m sure they do, but I don’t notice them. The ones that cause me to say things to myself are what stick in my recollection. I consult for a mega-pharmaceutical company and I can attest to that. Pharma reps, both male and female but mostly female, are hired for looks and youth and the successful ones use it well. They understand that fact far better than anyone else so they spend a ton of time and energy on their dress, fitness and overall appearance. The catch is that they have to be smart and actually know what they are talking about as well because they have to talk with practicing doctors and give in depth demos for certain product lines. Most of them age out of the front line work fairly young but they usually make extremely good money while they can hack it. A few of them have some specialized expertise that allows them to work in the field for decades while others become managers for the newest crop of educated beauties but most have to find something else to do by their mid-30’s. Hopefully, they caught the eye of a rich surgeon by then and can just settle down into domestic bliss. For the more unskilled side, good looking women don’t have to be actual strippers to earn more money than their plain counterparts. There are lots of service positions where being really attractive is bankable without ever having to show much skin. There are always positions for competent and attractive bartenders at some types of establishments especially places like busy sports bars that cater primarily to men. They can make damn good money doing that if they work the busy shifts and flirt just enough. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/15 "2015-03-17T00:03:27Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > The stereotypical pharma rep bimbo is alive and well here in middle USA. Confirmation bias, I’m sure, but I deal with a lot of hospitals and doctors offices, and the way some of these women are dressed … well… let’s just say it draws attention. Yeah, one of my wife’s college friends was a pharma rep. She was pretty much a bimbo. Being an attractive woman certainly seems like an advantage is sales, marketing, media. Really any career where image is more important than any sort of technical qualifications. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/16 "2015-03-17T00:14:58Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I consult for a mega-pharmaceutical company and I can attest to that. Pharma reps, both male and female but mostly female, are hired for looks and youth and the successful ones use it well. They understand that fact far better than anyone else so they spend a ton of time and energy on their dress, fitness and overall appearance. The catch is that they have to be smart and actually know what they are talking about as well because they have to talk with practicing doctors and give in depth demos for certain product lines. Most of them age out of the front line work fairly young but they usually make extremely good money while they can hack it. A few of them have some specialized expertise that allows them to work in the field for decades while others become managers for the newest crop of educated beauties but most have to find something else to do by their mid-30’s. Hopefully, they caught the eye of a rich surgeon by then and can just settle down into domestic bliss. IT Sales can be similar. I’ve worked with more than one IT salesperson who was distractingly good looking - and I’m a more or less straight woman. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/17 "2015-03-17T00:20:22Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What careers can an attractive woman use where she can take advantage of her looks to make far more money than unattractive people would earn for the same job? All of them been said yet? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/18 "2015-03-17T00:37:15Z")
If you are talking low paid jobs then attractive women do as a rule earn more. If you are talking about the corporate world above middle management it seems to matter less… ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/19 "2015-03-17T00:53:08Z")
I recently heard about a Cornell undergrad who financed her education by doing porn in her free time. Modeling is another obvious one. Anyway, being attractive helps in pretty much all careers; as you get to better and better jobs, the difference in pay based on looks decreases, but I’d wager it never really disappears, especially for women. Even in the corporate world, being an ugly woman is detrimental. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149/20 "2015-03-17T02:35:31Z")
Librarian. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-careers-can-an-attractive-young-woman-make-a-good-living-at/715149.md?page=2)