Though most of the country's largest metropolitan cities ranked on the list, smaller cities like Oakland and St. Louis also had strong showings for where women business leaders find success.
1. Oakland, CA
Oakland ranks at the top of our study for women in leadership, thanks in part to the fact that they hold more than half (51.71%) of all management roles in the city. Only two other cities (Detroit and Philadelphia) have a higher percentage of women in management positions than Oakland. Additionally, women in leadership roles can expect to have $69,519 left after factoring in median housing expenses – seventh-most across our study. Oakland also has the eighth-smallest gender pay gap in management occupations, as women earn 85.44% of what men earn.
2. Sacramento, CA
Sacramento has our study's smallest gender pay gap between men and women in management. Men in leadership roles in the California state capital earn 4.89% more than their female counterparts. Comparatively, women hold nearly half of all management roles (49.82%) in Sacramento, which is 10th-highest among the 62 cities in our study.
3. Baltimore, MD
Women in management roles in Baltimore earn almost 89 cents for every dollar that men earn. As a result, Baltimore has the fifth-smallest gender pay gap for management positions in our study. Charm City also has the fifth-highest percentage of women in management occupations (51.25%) study-wide.
4. Washington D.C.
Despite the District of Columbia's high median housing costs ($21,804 per year), women in management occupations still have $75,676 (fourth-most) left after factoring in those expenses. The nation's capital also has the sixth-highest percentage of women-owned businesses (24.62%). Additionally, women in the District of Columbia hold 50.20% of all management roles, the ninth-most across our study.
5. Philadelphia, PA
It may be the City of Brotherly Love, but women fill 51.81% of management occupations in Philadelphia, second-most among 62 cities in our study. Philadelphia also has the 12th-smallest gender pay gap in management, as women's salaries make up 83.68% of men's salaries in management occupations. Additionally, the city had the 12th-highest growth rate (20.68%) for management jobs between 2018 and 2021.
6. Boston, MA
In Boston, women hold 50.58% of management positions, which ranks seventh-highest across our study. While median housing costs in Boston are $1,883 per month, women in management occupations can expect to have $63,645 after accounting for housing expenses (ninth-most).
7. Portland, OR
Women in management positions earn 82.17% as much as men, which ranks as the 14th-smallest gender pay gap in our study. After paying for housing, women in management occupations can expect to have $55,436 left over (14th-most). Meanwhile, 22.62% of all businesses in the City of Roses are owned by women (16th-most).
8. St. Louis, MO
In St. Louis, women-owned businesses account for 24.84% of all businesses, which ranks third-most among the 62 cities we analyzed. The city also has the sixth-smallest gender pay gap in management occupations. Women in management positions in St. Louis earn 86.67% as much money as men do.
9. New York, NY
In New York, women in management occupations earn enough that they can expect to have $65,342 left over after paying for housing (eighth-most). The Big Apple also has the ninth-smallest gender pay gap in our study. Women working in management in New York earn 85.06% of what men earn.
10. Chicago, IL
After accounting for housing costs, women in management positions in Chicago have $60,182 left over (11th-most). The Windy City has also seen some of the best growth in recent years for management occupations. The city's management employment rate increased 19.71% between 2018 and 2021, more than it did in 49 other cities in our study.
