CBS News reports that according to a new study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (since when did they get into the business of doing sociological research?), people who are handsome, pretty, good-looking, whatever label you want to us, tend to make about five percent more money in their jobs comapred to plain- or average-looking people, all other factors being equal:

[G]ood-looking people tend to make more money and get promoted more often than those with average looks. . . The researchers cited one study that found a “plainness penalty” of 9 percent in wages -- meaning a person with below-average looks tended to earn 9 percent less than those with average looks - and a “beauty premium” of 5 percent.

A study concerning weight showed that women who were obese earned 17 percent lower wages than women of average weight. . . Height matters, too, the researchers believe. One study looked at the height of 16-year-olds and the wages they earned later as adults. The taller teens went on to earn an average of 2.6 percent more per additional inch of height.

[The authors of the study] said that in some cases, the attractive are simply more self-confident because of their good looks. For jobs where interpersonal interaction is important, that increased confidence can result in better communications skills that may improve job performance.

That’s just great -- one more way that the man is keeping me down