5 things to know about strippers by Sarah Stefanson

1- They're educated

One of the most surprising facts exposed by the study is that one in four strippers has a university degree. About 20% of the women interviewed are using the money they make as strippers to pay for their education while completing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Some university graduates, particularly those with arts degrees, have had trouble finding work in their chosen field and have turned to stripping as a way to make money as they continue their job search. Instead of taking a minimum wage job, such as bar work, to pay the bills, they can take home far more money as a stripper.

2- They don't just take their clothes off

The next thing that men should know about strippers is that the best ones are those who know how to sell themselves. Many assume that a stripper's job consists entirely of getting naked on stage and the occasional lap dance, but researcher Dr. Teela Sanders says that the women she talked to claimed that “80% of the job is talking.” For a stripper, making money is about more than just exposing her body. To take home the maximum amount of cash, a stripper has to be a smooth talker too.

3- They like their jobs

A great majority of the strippers the researchers talked to say they are happy with their jobs. This high job satisfaction level goes against the prevailing idea that all strippers hate their work and have miserable lives. The study found that flexibility was one of the major benefits of stripping for a living.

4- They were not forced into it

Most of the participants in the study reported that they actively chose to enter the profession and were lured by the potential of making good money while having an accommodating work schedule that would allow them to attend school or raise children at the same time. Researchers learned that there are plenty of women eager to get into the industry, refuting the stereotypical assumption that women who become strippers are forced into it and have no other choice. Many of them are making a carefully considered decision to become a stripper, and that's something men should know.

5- They make more money than you think

It is often stated that women turn to stripping because they are attracted to the kind of money they can earn. Results of the University of Leeds study indicate that the average take-home pay for a stripper is £232 ($358 USD) per night. A stripper can make as much as £48,000 or $74,000 USD annually, as much as the average computer programmer or university professor and more than a registered nurse earns in the United States per year. Strippers also spend far fewer hours on the job than many people with mainstream careers.