Occupations in Which Women Have Closed the Wage Gap

7 professions where gender based wage gaps have diminished

A recent US report provided some interesting food for thought about the status of the wage gap between men and women in the US and possibly in Canada.  Based on the most recent data from 2009, there remains a general wage gap in income between male and female college graduates one year after graduation.  Controlling for various factors, the data showed that women who worked full time earned, on average, just 82% of what their male peers earned.  Even when considering factors such as hours worked, occupation, areas of study and employment sector, the pay gap shrinks but persists.

Factors Impacting Differences

When we examine two factors, areas of study and occupations, we learn an interesting story.  For example, one year after graduation, a pay gap exists between women and men who majored business where women earned just over $38,000, while men earned just over $45,000.

Although studies have show that family responsibilities (e.g. having children) can impact wage differences between genders, most students within a year of graduation have not yet had children, so wage differences as influenced by gender are more evident.

Implications of Wage Differences

Over time, differences in wages impact the longterm financial stability of women.  For example, data shows that men and women often incur similar student debt obligations, but because many women earn less income than their male counterparts, they require a longer period of time to pay off their debt, often paying more in interest as a result.  Consequently, women are able to save less money than men on a monthly basis, which impacts their ability to save for postgraduate education and training.

Source:

Graduating To A Pay Gap: The earnings of men and women one year after college graduation