It’s Better to be Tall!

Sep 13, 2011 by Sarah Baker

Here are some fun facts on why we should all be grateful to be tall!

1. Tall people are paid more. According to an article published in Psychology Today, each inch in height corresponds to $789 extra pay each year. By this calculation, someone who is 6′0” tall earns $5,525 per year more than someone 5’6”. Check it out for yourself.

 

2. Tall people are smarter. If your shorter co-workers are whining about the first fact, plant this one on them! According to a study published by Princeton economists in 2006, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests (conceptual maturity, visual-motor coordination, and vocabulary) starting at the age of five.

 

3. Tall people are natural leaders. Can you think of the last time we had a short President in the U.S.? (Answer: 1896 — William McKinley was 5’7”). Interestingly enough, in the last 30 presidential elections, 26 of the wins went to the taller candidate. Not striving to be a political leader? There is still good news. Tall people are 905 times more likely to become CEOs of Fortune 500 companies (the average CEO is about 6’0”).

 

4. Tall people are better athletes. Just ask the professionals. In the NBA, the average player is 6’7” (with an average annual salary of $6 million). In the NFL, MLB and Tennis, the average player is 6’1”.  Exceptions to this rule are gymnasts, long distance runners and jockeys… all of which are paid far less.

 

5. Tall people are more attractive. That’s why tall women are super models! This was also reinforced by a study at the University of Gdansk in Poland which concluded that the ideal height for women was 5’9” and 6’2” for men.

 

6. Tall people can reach the top shelf. If the reasons above didn’t convince you, maybe this more practical approach will. No step stools needed.

 

Sources:
Tall People Get Paid More. Psychology Today. October 20, 2003.
Short End. Tall People Earn More Because They’re Smarter. Slate. September 1, 2006.
How Much Do NBA Salaries and Coaches Earn on Salaries. NBASalaries.org. Accessed September 3, 2011.
A Short Study About Height: The Health Highs and Lows. Mirror. July 22, 2011.