Top Women CEOs Were Paid MORE Than Their Male Counterparts In 2009 (VIDEO)

When it comes to CEO pay at the top companies in the world, a handful of elite female executives are actually out-earning their male counterparts.

Though female workers still earn about 20 percent less than males overall, Bloomberg News recently reported that, at some of the largest companies in the U.S., that trend is actually reversed. Here's Bloomberg:

Sixteen women heading companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index averaged earnings of $14.2 million in their latest fiscal years, 43 percent more than the male average, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News from proxy filings. The women who were also CEOs in 2008 got a 19 percent raise in 2009 -- while the men took a 5 percent cut.

Among the top female earners, Bloomberg notes, is Yahoo's Carol Bartz, who pulled in $47.2 million last year; Kraft's Irene Rosenfeld's, who brought home $26.3 million; and Indra Nooyi, the CEO of Pepsi Co., who earned $15.8 million.

ABC News picked up on Bloomberg's piece and pointed out that the 16 women in the report, work at large public companies which can't afford to have their pay practices scrutinized.

WATCH: ABC News' report -- or check out their full story here: