Prettier people are making a pretty penny.
Employees who are easy on the eyes earn an eye-popping $20,000 more than their less-fetching colleagues, according to new data on pretty privilege in the workplace.
“We asked respondents to rate how conventionally attractive they are and compared this to how successful they are, to find out how far looks (or body confidence) really does impact your career,” researchers from Standout-CV, a virtual résumé building hub, wrote in the March 2025 report.
“Those who rated themselves as extremely attractive earn on average $19,945 more than those who rated themselves as unattractive ($63,954 compared to $44,009),” added the pros.
Money, money, money, money — it’s just another benefit of being a bombshell.
Head-turning hotties have long credited their good fortune to their good looks, claiming “pretty privilege” — advantages exclusively granted to sexy guys and gals — has afforded them everything from free drinks to exotic trips and other lavish luxuries.
Anjola Fagbem, a smoke-show from Chicago, has scored Uber rides, surf lessons and $500 tickets to Lollapalooza owing to her jaw-dropping mug.
Leila Layzell, a London-based belle, bragged that her hypotonic charm inspires strangers on the street to shower her with haute treats such as designer bags, Chanel fragrances, coffee, food, mocktails and skincare.
WNBA baller Caitlin Clark, 23, has even been accused of bringing in the big bucks via lucrative sponsorships and brand deals, in part, due to her alluring appeal.
But it seems that the luck of the voluptuaries stems from how they view themselves — not how highly the world values their hotness.
Analysts with Standout-CV surveyed 1,050 employed Americans, men and women over age 18, to find that the majority of workers rate their looks 7.7 on a scale from 1 to 10, meaning most feel confident about their cuteness.
The fellas were more likely to think of themselves as “extremely attractive” than women, with 37.5% of men rating themselves a “9” or “perfect 10” compared to 27.4% of women. Folks with those inflated egos said their beauty had benefited them professionally, per the findings.
And, to little surprise, the large-and-in-charge members of the C-suite argued that their sweet mystique helped them rise to the top.
“CEOs were more than twice as likely to rate themselves as extremely attractive” than workers who deemed themselves “average” or “unattractive,” noted investigators.
“Consistently,” wrote the study authors, “there was a neat correlation between power and perceived attractiveness as you ascended the ranks.”
A whopping 46% of respondents who feel unattractive — rating themselves between 1 to 3 out of 10 — said their looks had impacted their career negatively.
And now, the pressure to be an office siren is at an all time high, especially amid increasing return-to-office demands enforced upon 9-to-5ers nationwide.
The poll determined that 83.4% of people believe staffers who invest in their workplace appearance are more highly favored than those who fail to dress to impress.
“Four in five (78.86%) of respondents say they often or sometimes feel the need to spend money on appearance-related products (clothes, makeup, grooming) to keep up with professional expectations in their industry,” the insiders said.
It’s a rat race rooted in gorgeousness — and, apparently, only the pretty survive.
“Those who rated themselves as attractive or extremely attractive after getting ready for work were more successful,” noted the researchers, wondering, however, if the career boost is an effect of natural beauty or store-bought embellishments.
“But does this confidence need to come from your natural appearance,” they questioned, “or can it come from the clothes you wear and the treatments you get to look your best?.”
Read the full article here
