'Best' Jobs for Women in 2015 Include 6 Figures and Growth Prospects

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While the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can lack gender diversity, an online career site names a handful of jobs in those categories for having the best prospects for women.

CareerCast today released its Best Jobs for Women in 2015 report, listing 11 jobs, unranked, in which the percentage of women working in that field is rising or steady. The barriers of entry for women in those fields are disappearing, CareerCast publisher Tony Lee said. The role of biomedical engineer, for instance, has one of the highest percentages of new graduates who are women of any STEM field.

CareerCast also selected the jobs for their relative high income and strong growth potential, using data from the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics that represent the entire labor force.

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“Because technological jobs are such a bedrock of the 21st century economy, STEM employers would be wise to meet growing demand through the active hiring of more women,” Lee said in a statement.

Lindsey Piegza, Sterne Agee chief economist, said employment opportunities for women have greatly expanded over the years because women themselves are increasingly willing to break the mold and seek employment outside of traditional female roles. There's also an increased willingness on the part of employers to hire the most qualified candidate, regardless of gender, she added. Still, Piegza said there are many other factors to consider when judging whether a particular job may be "best" for a woman.

"In the end, society benefits from producing a highly educated and entrepreneurial labor force comprised of men and women," Piegza said.

Here are the CareerCast's best job picks for women this year, in alphabetical order:

quicklist:title: Actuarycategory: Annual Median Wage: $93,680text: Projected Growth Outlook (through 2022): 26 percent

quicklist:title: Advertising and promotions managercategory: Annual Median Wage: $115,750text: Projected Growth Outlook: 12 percent

quicklist:title: Biomedical engineercategory: Annual Median Wage: $86,960 text: Projected Growth Outlook: 27 percent

quicklist:title: Dental hygienist category: Annual Median Wage: $70,201text: Projected Growth Outlook: 33 percent

quicklist:title: Education administratorcategory: Annual Median Wage: $86,490text: Projected Growth Outlook: 15 percent

quicklist:title: Event plannercategory: Annual Median Wage: $45,810text:Projected Growth Outlook: 33 percent

quicklist:title: Human resources manager category: Annual Median Wage: $99,720text:Projected Growth Outlook: 12 percent

quicklist:title: Market research analyst category: Annual Median Wage: $60,330text:Projected Growth Outlook: 32 percent

quicklist:title:Occupational therapist category: Annual Median Wage: $75,400text:Projected Growth Outlook: 29 percent

quicklist:title:Public relations manager category: Annual Median Wage: $95,450text:Projected Growth Outlook: 13 percent

quicklist:title: Statistician category: Annual Median Wage: $75,560text:Projected Growth Outlook: 27 percent