Hot jobholders earn $20K more than ugly employees thanks to pretty privilege, study confirms

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 wome...