Women's Bureau (WB) - Nontraditional Occupations for Women in 2003

Nontraditional Occupations for Women in 2003¹
(Numbers in thousands)

	Employed	Employed	Percent
Occupation	Both Sexes	Female	Female

Upholsterers	56	14	25
Farmers and ranchers	825	204	24.7
Metalworkers and plastic workers, all other	423	103	24.3
Dishwashers	294	70	23.8
Detectives and criminal investigators	112	26	23.2
Supervisors, protective service workers, all other	100	23	23
Architects, except naval	180	40	22.2
Drafters	224	49	21.9
Engineering technicians, except drafters	419	91	21.7
Coin, vending, and amusement machine
servicers and repairers	65	14	21.5
First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives	127	27	21.3
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers	781	165	21.1
Miscellaneous agricultural workers	741	156	21
Cutting workers	95	20	21
Job printers	83	17	20.5
First-line supervisors/managers of production and
operating workers	939	189	20.1
Baggage porters, bellhops, and concierges	85	17	20
Chefs and head cooks	281	56	19.9
Industrial engineers, including health and safety	180	35	19.4
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	1,748	321	18.4
Couriers and messengers	244	44	18
Farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers	206	37	18
Barbers	95	17	17.9
Printing machine operators	191	34	17.8
Industrial production managers	276	48	17.4
Surveying and mapping technicians	75	13	17.3
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine
tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	79	13	16.5
Supervisors, transportation and material moving workers	216	35	16.2
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers	225	36	16
Meter readers, utilities	50	8	16
Service station attendants	96	15	15.6
Painting workers	177	27	15.2
Cost estimators	100	15	15
Chemical engineers	75	11	14.7
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood	62	9	14.5

	Employed	Employed	Percent
Occupation	Both Sexes	Female	Female

Cleaners of vehicles and equipment	326	46	14.1
Clergy	410	57	13.9
Radio and telecommunications equipment installers
and repairers	251	35	13.9
Parts salespersons	137	19	13.9
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	286	39	13.6
Motor vehicle operators, all other	66	9	13.6
Precision instrument and equipment repairers	62	8	12.9
Material moving workers, all other	64	8	12.5
Police and sheriff’s patrol officers	612	76	12.4
Engineers, all other	282	35	12.4
Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers	296	36	12.2
Aerospace engineers	82	9	11
First-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and
forestry workers	65	7	10.8
Engineering managers	77	8	10.4
Crushing, grinding, polishing, mixing, and blending workers	107	11	10.3
Computer hardware engineers	99	10	10.1
Sales engineers	50	5	10
Chemical processing machine setters, operators, and tenders	72	7	9.7
Construction and building inspectors	95	9	9.5
Parking lot attendants	74	7	9.5
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators,
and tenders, metal and plastic	11	1	9.1
Industrial truck and tractor operators	534	46	8.6
Civil engineers	278	24	8.6
Broadcast and sound engineering technicians and
radio operators	94	8	8.5
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers,
and repairers	340	28	8.2
Refuse and recyclable material collectors	63	5	7.9
Electrical and electronic engineers	363	26	7.2
Grounds maintenance workers	1,135	78	6.9
Miscellaneous construction and related workers	58	4	6.9
Welding, soldering, and brazing workers	528	36	6.8
Painting, construction and maintenance	660	44	6.7
Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators	61	4	6.6
Telecommunications line installers and repairers	138	9	6.5
Pest control workers	81	5	6.2
Construction managers	680	40	5.9
Cabinet makers and bench carpenters	70	4	5.7
Railroad conductors and yardmasters	53	3	5.7

	Employed	Employed	Percent
Occupation	Both Sexes	Female	Female

Glaziers	53	3	5.7
Mechanical engineers	285	16	5.6
Other, installation, maintenance, and repair workers	272	15	5.5
First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping,
lawn service, and groundskeeping workers	223	12	5.4
Machinists	454	22	4.8
Sheet metal workers	147	7	4.8
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers	3,214	148	4.6
Tool and die makers	88	4	4.5
Millwrights	73	3	4.1
Highway maintenance workers	79	3	3.8
Fire fighters	258	9	3.5
Helpers, construction trades	114	4	3.5
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	116	4	3.4
Crane and tower operators	61	2	3.3
Security and fire alarm systems installers	60	2	3.3
Construction laborers	1,151	35	3
Maintenance and repair workers, general	309	8	2.6
Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers	271	7	2.6
Cement masons, concrete finishers, and
terrazzo workers	120	3	2.5
Logging workers	79	2	2.5
First-line supervisors/managers of construction
trades and extraction workers	897	22	2.4
Industrial and refractory machinery mechanics	460	11	2.4
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians	128	3	2.3
Miscellaneous vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics,
installers, and repairers	86	2	2.3
Electricians	774	16	2.1
Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers	205	4	1.9
Plasterers and stucco masons	53	1	1.9
Stationary engineers and boiler operators	113	2	1.8
Carpenters	1,595	26	1.6
Automobile service technicians and mechanics	884	12	1.4
Operating engineers and other construction
equipment operators	376	5	1.3
Roofers	233	3	1.3
Dredge, excavating, and loading machine operators	88	1	1.1
Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	595	6	1
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service
technicians and mechanics	200	2	1
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	339	3	0.9

	Employed	Employed	Percent
Occupation	Both Sexes	Female	Female

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons	218	2	0.9
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	111	1	0.9
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration
mechanics and installers	350	2	0.6
Structural iron and steel workers	71	0	0
Small engine mechanics	54	--	--

¹Nontraditional occupations are those in which women comprise 25 percent or less of total employed.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unpublished data, Annual Averages 2003, Current Population Survey.

Women’s Bureau
March 2003