Study: Your Weight Affects Your Salary

Thin Women, Heavier Men Take Home More Of The Bacon

October 7, 2010 11:15 PM

A new study found that thinner women had fatter paychecks than average-sized or overweight women. (Photo credit: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK (CBS 2) – In a country plagued by obesity, eating disorders, and the all-too-common pressure to simply look good, a new study finds that your waist size can play a role in your wallet size.

The study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, shows that skinny women tend to have fatter paychecks than average or overweight women.

The same can’t be said for men, however. Larger men are shown to have larger paychecks than their thinner brethren, according to the study. In fact, as a man’s weight increases, so does his salary — until the point of obesity, when his salary then drops.

The Wall Street Journal reports that in looking at the differences of earnings between men and women of different sizes, the study’s author discovered significant gaps. Women who weighed 25 pounds less than average-sized women in the sampling earned an average of $15,572 more. On the other hand, a woman who weighed 25 pounds more than normal-sized women made $13,847 less than their average counterparts.

Thinner men were just as unfortunate as heavier women, earning $8,437 less than average-sized men.

What do you think about the results? Post your comments below!

e

However, if you’re crafty enough and can make the case, there is a thing called lawsuit. Maybe you won’t need to work for a nice period of time.
Loren

We all know good looking women earn more money and in this society, thinner women are generally considered better looking. Heavier men in the working force are often so because they are entertaining clients eating lunch and dinner out. Also those that can afford to eat out generally make more money so it could be that making more money leads to chubbiness, not the other way around.
E

Sure, you spread your legs and you make more… or they hope they can spread your legs at some point, doggy works too.
chuck

Look, nobody wants to hire a fat chick or a wimpy dude. Easy as that.
chuck

smokers are off limits? Ha!
chuck

Well, we’re all eating the same food, smart guy. I’m not obese, or even close, and I put down about 6,000 Cals a day. Of course, I hike and exercise and get out of my easy chair every now and then. Turn your TV off for a month, watch the pounds fall off.
Mike Litorus

Obama is a moon-cricket.
jfsdfs

correlation is not causation, anyone who took intro to stats could tell you this.

cheryl

Yes, but cooperation often causes consternation.

Moderately Fat Mike

Maybe it’s because men get heavier as they get older, and also make more as they get older? At the same time as women get older/heavier they tend to downshift a bit, especially if they have husbands who are making plenty.

darbymcmoffat

MFMike, this was exactly what I was thinking. I don’t think this survey unveils anything groundbreaking. If they tested men on the basis of age, they’d find the same result. For the ladies, well we all know that if you’re hefty, not many suitors asking you to the corporate prom….. (says a dude with a sizable one pack)

Sammy with 5 kids

Fat people make more money because they have a skinny person living inside them. They’re called “Quaids.” Hasn’t anyone seen Total Recall???
John Donson, Ph.D

COLLEGE IS KEWL YOU LEARN 2 MAKE $$$ OF PPL
CSI

Amme25 is right. Aside from careless eating and stuff. I think chemicals in food play a big role on our bodies. Lately I’ve been noticing men with man boobs even though they are skinny they seem to be producing a little something up top. Whats up with that.

cheryl

More women are playing with mens’ breasts these days.

I gratuitously play with mens’ breasts every chance I get.

James

I really like you.

simon

I think the food on the fork is what is causing it. Chemicals? Really? I would probably look at how much you eat…

olesea

women who make more money can afford plastic surgery, remodeling, better food, personal trainers and so on. Therefore, they can afford to become skinnier, even if they weren’t at the beginning.

annieoakley

Or, maybe they just take good care of themselves, watch what they eat, exercise, and various other habits that come with being well-disciplined….same kind of qualities most employers are looking for.
Taro

Or maybe they never became fat in the first place. After all, food that fights fat development is cheaper than food that makes one fat. I’m talking veggies and lean meat here. If your theory were correct, you would see a lot of sucessful, fat women who had were only beginning to lose weight but still look fat to everyone. Where are these women?
simon

Olesea: That is a bunch of b.s. I am a size 2 and I don’t have personal trainers, etc. That is a big b.s. excuse for you to be fat.

JB

I know…LETS BUST THE UNIONS! The less I pay my employees a living wage the quicker my son, Biff, gets his new Porche in 12th grade.

chuck

You know, few people buy porsches for their kids…even fewer are still in unions. class baiter,
Bon

He will get a nice used Porsche previously owned by the Union bosses.
Taro

Let’s bust the unions because their overpriced and inept labor skills drive jobs overseas. That is a truth you can’t run away from.
Kile Anderson

The problem with unions is they force employers to pay more than the market rate for labor. A union is a labor cartel. If materials suppliers tried to do what unions do they would be prosecuted by the justice department. Unions serve only 1 group of people today in America, union bosses.

Clark Ken-ton

All I have to say is “….BEEP…BEEP …BEEP” should not need to be tolerated when I am rolling back in my office chair.
satineye

I agree with rm. We all type fast some times; so what he spelled some words incorrectly. That’s not the issue here.
Nadine

Employers don’t like to hire fat people. They tend to have more health issues and take more sick time. And they’d rather have slim and attractive people representing their companies.
rm

to the people who r making fun of someone spelling is very immature. Focus on the issue not the spelling. Grow up please.

cheryl

i think yew ar complitely write

Squiggy

You spelled “I” right. What’s up with that?
fffffffff

You are just annoying….cheryl!

Chuck

Okay, enough one upping each other.
This can also be a chicken or the egg related issue.
Are the people fat because of their personalities and lifestyles which then affect how aggressive they may be in preparing for and going after higher pay? Are thinner women seen/tend to be more aggressive in the general work place? In order to be in higher paid positions did they need to attain a certain look to fit in to begin with? Bigger guys are often seen as being in control and forces to be reckoned with.
Come on. One thing does not automatically lead to the other. What’s the cause, environment and effect being studied here?

Frances Bean

Which came first, the donut or the XXXXXL sweatsuit? My money’s on the donut.

Endless yards of denim

Nice pic!
Sauna

Skinny and Chubby people don’t have jobs, no paychecks either. No point here.
matt

Mike,

Not to be rude but at 375lbs you are not heavy, you are fat.

sauna

Fat makes a person heavy Matt.

cheryl

All fat people are heavy, but not all heavy people are fat.

Marcon33

What does the job require?

Bob

to Tea with the college degree. it’s not difficult to to understand your situation as shown in your spelling issues that probably reflect on an employers perception of your abilities…just my thoughts

Tea

@Hayden & Bob – I personally do not take offense in your comments regarding my grammar at all. I don’t deny that at times, when I type, I don’t review what I write, but when it comes to cover letters or even resumes or even company emails, I make sure that I do review what I write or if I am unsure, I have people proof read what I write before I even consider handing them in. thanks

Highschool Drop-out

“I don’t deny that at times, when I type, I don’t review what I write, but when it comes to cover letters or even resumes or even company emails, I make sure that I do review what I write or if I am unsure, I have people proof read what I write before I even consider handing them in.” – Run-on sentence
“proofread”, not “proof read”

You’re welcome.

Mike

Absolutely! I interviewed for a seasonal position at Fed Ex loading/unloading trucks one year. Although I was 6’2″, 375 lbs, I was healthy with normal cholesterol, BP, heart rate. I was able to lift 100+ lbs. I had experience. I answered all questions correctly and aced the interview. But I could see it in his eyes that he thought I was wasting his time because I was so heavy.

Worry01

Well, weighing nearly 400 lbs. might be a problem. That is more than just being heavy, as the article noted.
TruthHurts

More like you were “overweight.”

Tea

Fatter men earn more because they were earning more to begin with. I don’t believe that this study is proven true. these days its who you know, not what you know. i am not obese nor am i fat and yet i am making minimum wage, with a College degree too! this is rediculous.

Hayden

Perhaps you should not worry about your weight so much and focus on grammer and spelling…that could be where you are having issues.

D’oh!

Grammar: G-R-A-M-M-A-R
FTFY

“Grammar.”
dude

really? “grammer”????
fat guy

people that correct spelling and grammar on internet posts make the least amount of money, a new study concludes.
HM Phobe

Yeah, too many people focus on Kelsey Grammer – come on people, Frasier has been off the air for years!
Femiluv

True!!

hahaha

u mean ridiculous?

Tea

yes, thanks. I already know that was spelled wrong.
Jet

Actually, it was spelled “incorrectly”, not wrong…
tom

This is getting ridiculous. It was neither spelled “wrong”, nor “incorrectly”. Everyone can plainly see that it was spelled “rediculous”. Now can we dsicuss the other benefits of being obese or anorexic ?
Peanut Gallery

Tom,
Maybe we should dsicuss, dyslexia

JohnK

“i am making minimum wage, with a College degree too! this is rediculous.”

Perhaps if with your College degree, you could actually spell ridiculous……….Just saying……….

ko

Wow, all you guys need to grow up. The person already acknowledged that they spelled it wrong. These things do happen. Heck, I do that sometimes when i type fast; yet instead of having something more constructive to say about the article. You pick on them over and over again.

Coffee

“rediculous”
I think you got scammed on that whole “college degree” thing.

moonbatkailler

i agree 100%

Frankiec

This surprises you? You can’t even spell “ridiculous” or be smart enough to use a browser with a built-in spell checker.

Please, don’t quit your job!
Matt

Your ability to spell may have something to do with it. I would have a friend proof read your resume. It’s” ridiculous”.
No yobs 4 Life

Wow with all do respect FORGET the job market BS. Consider some kind of cleaning business . I make 35 to 60 an hour NO boss NO job and practically NO accounts receivable.. I was an engineer and replaced my income in 2 months if you choose to work for yourself as hard as you do for some one else you will be free.
Worry01

Well, I would suggest that you have another problem or problems.
alex

Tea- if you learned to spell, you might make more.
Xereena

You can’t even spell or use punctuation properly and you have a college degree?? No wonder you’re making minimum wage!
David Davidson

> this is rediculous

LOL
Dave R

Maybe if you knew how to spell ‘rediculous’ some would be willing to pay you more!
mikhail

Perhaps, if you were not competing against so many illegals (for a job) you could make a decent living…. or maybe you can’t find a decent job because so many older people have been forced back into the workforce (since their life’s savings has been destroyed) by obama’s thrid world banana republic marxist/fascist economics

Larry H

I’m sorry, competing against illegals? Illegals taking good American jobs and living a decent life? Unless you want to work in an Italian restaurant, cleaning hotel rooms, or sweating in a field, you shouldn’t have to worry about illegal competition. Oh, and let’s not blame business owners for hiring them. Just don’t ask questions, we need to maximize profits. This is a free market after all!
REDICULOUS

Mikhail, your 100% right. I have a degree in picking lettuce and I can’t get hired anywhere. Damn illegals are taking all of the good jobs.

spuds

Maybe you should get a better job
Sonny Boy

Maybe it’s because you are stupid. Your words are poorly chosen and spelled wrong.
Bleaux

Your degree is probably in communications, massage therapy, general studies or something equally worthless. Go get a real degree in something that will make you more employable. You are not guaranteed a better job just by getting a piece of paper that says you went to college. For profit schools like Kaplan College and Devry are notorious for handing out “college diplomas” in worthless areas leaving their students very few options to actually get a job.
Jasmin

Maybe if you could spell and use apostrophes correctly – with your college degree too! – you would get paid more than minimum wage. Your resume would be thrown directly into the trash if I received it.
Matt

Maybe you’re earning minimum wage due to the fact that you have a college degree and still can’t spell correctly. Where did you get your degree from, a Cracker Jack box?
Jet

Maybe you would earn more if you learned how to spell…
maria

What a stupid comment! Why don’t you eat feces and then kill yourself?
tom

it is not your weight, it is your spelling which is rediculous…
carter

I would like to know where you got your college degree as your spelling and grasp of the article shows that you are lucky to even have a job.