Sue Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal reports on the study out of the University of Florida, which found that women who weighed 25 pounds less than the norm made about $15,572 more than average-weight women.
Women who weighed 25 pounds more than average made $13,847 less — and their pay continued to decrease with their weight, although less sharply as weight climbed higher. (Source: Jezebel)
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
The average weight of a woman today with a height of around 5’4″ (my height!): (Source)
- USA = 163 lbs (75 kg)
- Canada = 153 lbs (69.4 kg)
- UK = 147 lbs (66.7 kg)
So if you weigh 25 pounds less than the average, you will earn $15,572 more:
- USA = 138 lbs
- Canada = 128 lbs
- UK = 122 lbs
But if you weigh 25 pounds more than the average, you will earn $13,847 less:
- USA = 188 lbs
- Canada = 178 lbs
- UK = 172 lbs
And the spread of earnings between a woman who is 25 lbs lighter and a woman who is 25 lbs heavier than the average is a whopping:
$29,419
Wow. That is almost $30,000 of a pay increase for skinnier women (or a pay cut for heavier women, depending on how you say it)
DO SKINNIER WOMEN GET FATTER PAYCHEQUES?
It sure looks like it, doesn’t it?
I have to say, I do encounter that in the workplace.
I mean, not myself personally, but I see through my friends who are full-figured that they seem to be passed over for a lot of things such as:
- promotions
- pay raises
- better jobs
- better roles within a job
- responsibility
- bonuses
And I’ve had a friend lament to me that she doesn’t feel like she gets taken seriously or respected (she’s a really smart, amazing woman by the way) at the workplace because of her weight.
WHAT ABOUT THE MEN?
Men were also penalized for violating stereotypes about ideal male appearance, but in reverse.
Thin guys earned $8,437 less than average-weight men.
But they were consistently rewarded for getting heavier, a trend that tapered off only when their weight hit the obese level. In one study, the highest pay point, on average, was reached for guys who weighed a strapping 207 pounds. (Source: Wall Street Journal)
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I just find this so wearing. When I was last around 8 stone I was working nights, studying an intensive 9-5 course, had a boyfriend in another town and was having panic attacks from lack of food, sleep and rest. But hey, at least I was skinny.
I have to say, as an american female who is 5′ 7” and 140 pounds. I believe that in this situation you may be overlooking something important… Why are these higher paid women typically slimmer? Is it because they are driven, active and hardworking? These three qualities would lead to better paying positions and possibly a slimmer waistline. Personally I think the stats here are frightening (if they are true) and I think that women of all shapes and sizes should be respected, treated and paid fairly no matter what, I’m just saying, sometimes you have to wonder if there is a bigger correlation of factors going on that you’re not looking at.
Um in my experience, slimmer women are either ones who exercise and look after themselves (which is laudable), have recovered from eating disorders and have switched to veganism, or are drug addicts.
That said I agree there are probably other factors – being overweight can be an indication of physical or mental health problems which can affect a person’s ability to work well.
fashionexpert, not every person who’s eating nutrient-dense food is slim, cuz not every person was made to be thin and sometimes even starving yourself will do and make you a model. for me it’s discrimination
That, I’d agree with. I saw some other girls in the mall today that were clearly anorexic (bones protruding, etc).. and they were “slim” but not healthy.
There’s a balance I think, because employers might not see your bones when you’re covered up, but if you wore a tank top and they saw your rib cage, it might be as harmful as being too fat (obese).
4’10” and 180 pounds here, guess I’m never going to be successful in my career. That’s down from 250 lbs in high school, mind you.
I think it may also be less that you weigh a certain amount ( who really fits in those BMI guidelines anyway ) and more if you’re resigned to the weight (which you are clearly not!) and as a result, the rest of your life and appearance suffers.
You know, 80 pounds dropped is incredibly impressive. It’s nothing to sneeze at.
to getting hourglass figures consume nutrient-dense foods. Give up the sweets, bagels with cream cheese, fries, fudge pops, chili dogs and any other foods.
I've also heard that in contrast, men that weigh more than the average get paid more.
In the study it said that men\’s weight didn\’t affect their salary, but I don\’t think if they weigh more they get paid more
I think if men are taller, they get paid more.
Does how much you weigh affect your energy level and / or how you feel about yourself, and would that also be a factor in the kind of work you do and what you are paid? Or is it just employer's prejudice?
All very good questions. I think the study is very one-sided, as you can glean from all the other comments.
It could be a personality thing, energy thing, passion thing, or just plain prejudice.
I do say, that I have met a few people who have been overweight and exceptional at their jobs. Unfortunately, in those cases, only the men seemed to benefit and the women were still not where they should have been. I can\’t say for sure (as no study can) what the causes were.
I'm one of those people who can never ask others how much they get paid, but… I don't think I've been passed over for pay rises. Or well, I've been offered pretty decent sallaries during job interviews, even though I quite a bit overweight.
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I don't know if I can agree with that when it comes to my personal life. I am below US average when it comes to weight, but I did not see my paycheck higher because of it in my whole time of being employed. I am not sure how the study is done but it seems almost bogus.
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That\’s what I thought too. OR maybe it\’s another variable that they\’re missing, something like a quad of 4 factors.
I think their studies found that on average, it\’s true, but you may just be the 15% exception or something.
And how I hate to be an exception to the rule 🙂 Happens to me a lot :))
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Well better to be an exception than to be boring and ordinary 🙂
A lot of women tend to choose jobs that are heavy on public interaction–think HR and recruiting, public relations, teaching, counseling, customer service, retail sales, etc. I feel like jobs where you have heavy interaction with the public are ones where looks-based discrimination are going to come into play the most.
I suppose so. As a consultant who interacts with clients on a daily basis I do see that it comes into play if you are fat (BUT ONLY FOR WOMEN!!). Slight biases, but they are there, nonetheless.
I have to say, I read once that a woman/man who is engaged/married is more likely to get a promotion (or even be hired in the first place) because having that type of relationship suggests you are a stable, responsible individual.
Speaking as a woman who has been the full spectrum of obese (a size 22 on a 5 foot 8 frame) and average (anywhere from 165 to 180), I do think your size factors in, in almost the same way.
It’s a control thing. If you can’t control your weight (which some people see as a simple task, I know however it is not), how can you control aspects of your job?
Yes I was also told that being engaged, married or with a kid meant responsibility which I felt was utter BS seeing as I know plenty of marrieds, engaged or couples with kids who are anything BUT as responsible as I was at the time.
I'm on the short, skinny side. I guess I'm doomed. While I might earn a little less, statistically, I will live a lot longer. That is worth more than money.
I totally believe this, I'm overweight and I'm treated differently now than when I was thinner. Our society is very obsessed with thinner people. We live in a visual society and I totally believe this study. I'm trying to lose weight because it sucks how people treat you. :-/
I\’m so sorry to hear that, but I am not surprised either. I do find that we are quite obsessed with thin people, although I don\’t think we need to be as thin as supermodels. I think someone with Christina Hendricks\’ figure would not be considered \’fat\’. I suppose it\’s when people don\’t see a slim or hourglass shape that they start to judge.
I hope you reach your goals!
Or it just means more overweight people work lower paying jobs?
Tons of variables. I wish I could see what they controlled for. But perhaps overweight people don\’t get promoted as a result of their weight and are stuck in lower paying jobs.
Did they account for having children explaining part of the difference? Women who have children tend to weigh more and having children also has a negative impact on potential earnings (women who have children may choose lower-paying jobs with better hours, or earn less due to time out of the workforce due to pregnancies or raising kids, as well as possibly face discrimination for having kids, especially single mothers). This may also explain some of the differences in the weight-earnings trends for men and women.
Another excellent point. I don\’t know if they account for having kids, but that would make sense.
They would have to control the factors in so many variables, I feel like this was too narrow of a study. Or I just don\’t have the information of how they controlled for those factors.
Interesting. I would definitely agree that thinner people seem to make more money but Amy has a good point. I do know that I have read before that successful CEOs tend to be very fit people.
That\’s true that you wouldn\’t really see an overweight CEO, man or woman. They also say that women who are taller and more imposing tend to do better in the workplace, hence why we wear heels.
I found this really surprising! thanks for sharing.
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I'd say it's probably true in my experience as well. Although I do have one friend that's 105 pounds at 5'4" and I think she doesn't earn more because even at 35 yo, she looks kind of childish because of her 00 size.
In my adult life pre-second child, I was 115-125 at 5'5" and am now Canadian average. 🙁 I have no idea if or how being average has affected my income personally though. When it comes to getting jobs, I think it's been shown that first impressions basically get or don't get you that job. And what do people have to go on but your appearance?
I've read that the average American woman is now 163 pounds at 5' 3.8": http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/aprilholla…
With men, I think a part of it is that most "executive types" are abnormally tall. There was a study done on that a few years ago. I think the average height of the Fortune 500 CEO's was something like 6'+.
So is it a lack of self-confidence in the fuller-figured women or prejudice against them? My guess is that it's likely a combination of the two.
I definitely think with men, the taller and \”stronger\” they are, the more they seem them as alpha males.
For women, I read somewhere that the more beautiful the woman is, the more of an alpha female she is.
As for weight, I\’ve been 110 – 140 lbs, and the good thing about that is the weight never really shows (it spreads evenly). I do find that the thinner I am, the more BF worries about my weight and the heavier I am, the more sluggish I feel.
I think 125lbs is the ideal for my feeling good and looking \’healthy\’, although I feel healthy at a lower weight, I can see that people react negatively towards me.
There's a part of me that is afraid to touch this with a 10 foot pole…. But is it possible that people in higher level jobs are there because they are more driven individuals? A naturally self-motivated, goal setting, hard working person will probably achieve more in all aspect of their lives; careers, fitness, relationships, etc. Just a thought.
You could be absolutely, positively right. I would say that it\’s a possibility, but not definitive of everyone! Great point.
Look at Oprah Winfrey. She\’s struggled with weight her whole life, and she\’s is a charismatic, extremely influential person today.
She says: \”Jump\”, the audience screams: \”HOW HIGH OPRAH? HOW HIGH?\”
We live in the real world. People are going to judge all of you, not just your work abilities. They may not even be consciously judging, but they will do it.
You can complain about unfair perceptions keeping you down, or you could spend that energy losing weight or being so freaking incredible at your job that it doesn't matter what you look like.
I'm a 5'11" man, which means I'm gonna have to overcome being "not tall" in my ascent up the corporate ladder. Solution: be a rock star and wear big shoes. No whining!
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*LAUGH* You and President Sarkozy of France should have a chat. I think he wears lifts in his shoes.
I do agree that you can complain about your appearance and just be lackluster, or be a rockstar in both appearance and work. The only thing is if we were to compare 2 rockstars and if one is fat, do they get paid less?
No one knows what I look like before I get on a project and I still get paid what I deserve, so appearance is not a huge deal.. unless you want to be called back for a project (not sure if that would affect anything).
You are 5'11" and think you are not tall? I am a towering 5'7"
I wonder if it's actually the other way around and weight is influenced by income. Women who earn more are thinner because they can afford things like fresh produce, gym memberships, workout gear, etc. Women who earn less are heavier because they can't afford to splurge on those things. It's generally a heck of a lot cheaper to buy fast food, Kraft Dinner, white bread, etc. than fresh, healthy food (although totally doable if people are willing to shop around!)
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What a great point!
It could be that they just don’t have the money to have a trainer and all that, or it might just be that they’re lucky to not need those extras.
Not to brag, but I really, really, really loathe exercising, but I do eat well, I walk for fun and I try not to take the elevator when I can take the stairs. This seems to have helped keep my weight on an even keel, although I’m now facing a reverse problem of not being heavy enough.