Pay gap between men and women continues

In the Chronicle of Hgher Ed. today:

"

Pay Gap Between Men and Women Begins Immediately After Graduation, Study Says
By PAULA WASLEY


The salary gap between men and women emerges immediately after college and continues to widen throughout their careers, says a report released on Friday by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.

The report, based on new research, says that women now make up the majority of college students. And women's GPA's are on average higher than men's across all majors, including those in mathematics and the sciences. But women's salaries still lag behind men's, the report says, despite the significant gains that women have made in higher education over the last three decades.

One year after graduation, women earn 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn, the report says. Ten years after graduation, the disparity is even greater, with women earning 69 percent of what men earn. But women are also more likely than men to complete some form of graduate education within the first 10 years out of college.

The research also shows that women who attended highly selective colleges earn less than men from either highly or moderately selective colleges, and about the same as men from minimally selective colleges.

The report suggests that some of the inequities originate with the choice of college major. Female students tend be concentrated in majors associated with lower-paying fields, such as education, health, and psychology, while men tend to dominate the higher-paying fields of engineering, mathematics, and physical sciences. But wage gaps occur even within majors that attract similar numbers of men and women. Within the mixed-gender major of biological sciences, for example, women earn only 75 percent as much as men do.

Disparities may also stem from differences in early career choices. The study found that women are more likely than men to work in the nonprofit and local-government sectors, where wages are typically lower than in the for-profit and federal-government sectors that male graduates gravitate to.

But the report says that, even when comparisons are controlled for factors such as hours, occupation, and parenthood, women still earn less than men.

"Too often, both women and men dismiss the pay gap as simply a matter of different choices, but even women who make the same occupational choices that men make will not typically end up with the same earnings," says the report."
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I know from personal experience, pay gaps are alive and well. At my last firm, there were three associates. Myself, with 3 years of experience, another female, with 8 years of experience, and a male, with 5 years of experience.

The male was making a good 20% more than the other female associate, who had more experience than he did.

I was brought in at about 30% less than a first year associate, even though I had 3 years of experience, and I was told it was because "I'm a new mom and the powers that be didn't think I could ever possibly make the same hours as the other associates"

Pffffffffffffft

Message edited 4/25/2007 10:41:42 AM.

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

yeah I heard this yesterday and it is CRAP!

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

This doesn't surprise me at all I am most upset that there are women and men who do the same exact job and the women are getting paid less

I have been fortunate that at my present firm and my former firm, there is a set pay scale based on what year associate you are. While I think there is some flexibility with the numbers, you know that there is no chance that someone your same year is making $20,000 more than you!

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

That is so sad.

But I think women help create the situation. When asked on LIF if we would rather work for a man or a woman, most people here (women) say they would rather work for a man. Link

In the last 40 years since women entered the work force in great numbers, women are still considered "bitchy", "shrewish", "emotional", "mean" and "unduly competitive" where men with the same traits are "assertive", "stand up for themselves" and competitive in a good way. And this is by other women.

There are many people out there who still operate under the assumption that all women want to be a stay at home mom. Some do. Some don't. Until we get rid of that assumption, women will always be seen as "temporary" members of the workforce, and not permanent members of the work force like men are.

To me the saddest thing is the way that women can't support one another. We don't want to work for other women. We don't want to work with other women. We are harshest on other women. Until we support one another, we will never be seen as equals.

ETA: In the LIF post- this was the poll: Who is it easier to work for:

A woman 6 6.06%
A man 57 57.58%
Depends on the job field, etc. 20 20.20%
No difference 16 16.16%

Message edited 4/25/2007 11:02:45 AM.

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Posted by Shelly

That is so sad.

But I think women help create the situation. When asked on LIF if we would rather work for a man or a woman, most people here (women) say they would rather work for a man. Link

In the last 40 years since women entered the work force in great numbers, women are still considered "bitchy", "shrewish", "emotional", "mean" and "unduly competitive" where men with the same traits are "assertive", "stand up for themselves" and competitive in a good way. And this is by other women.

There are many people out there who still operate under the assumption that all women want to be a stay at home mom. Some do. Some don't. Until we get rid of that assumption, women will always be seen as "temporary" members of the workforce, and not permanent members of the work force like men are.

To me the saddest thing is the way that women can't support one another. We don't want to work for other women. We don't want to work with other women. We are harshest on other women. Until we support one another, we will never be seen as equals.

ETA: In the LIF post- this was the poll: Who is it easier to work for:

A woman 6 6.06%
A man 57 57.58%
Depends on the job field, etc. 20 20.20%
No difference 16 16.16%

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

this is really sad!!

I will always pick that I want to work for a man before a woman because every woman that I have worked for has been horrible with the exception of one!!!! BUT that in no way means that a man should get paid more for doing the same job that a woman does.

That is just HORRIBLE!! especially in the year 2007!!!!

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Posted by Lisa

this is really sad!!

I will always pick that I want to work for a man before a woman because every woman that I have worked for has been horrible with the exception of one!!!! BUT that in no way means that a man should get paid more for doing the same job that a woman does.

That is just HORRIBLE!! especially in the year 2007!!!!

Message edited 4/25/2007 11:11:49 AM.

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Those statistics are awful! I think they've gotten worse!

I'm one of those women who prefers not to work with a lot of other women. I had a GREAT experience working for a woman and with other women at one job, but the worst experience of my life working for and with women at another. The bad experience unfortuantely was worse than the good experience was good. It really scarred me.

The difference between the two experiences was that in the first, the women did not feel threatened. They were confident, willing to share their knowledge, and supportive of younger staff members. In the second experience, the older women (of about 30, the youngest was 45 yrs old, aside from me; most were in their 60's and 70's) were resistant to change of any kind, and belittled anyone and anything that was different from the way they had been doing things since the 70's.

I agree that women need to support each other more at work, and in general, just chill out and respect a differing opinion and be open to new ideas. Getting to a higher position doesn't mean eating their young, which is what I think happens.


ETA: I don't expect or tolerate bad behavior from male bosses. I just haven't seen a male boss be as threatened as I have a female boss.

Message edited 4/25/2007 11:14:18 AM.

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Shelly, you bring up a great point. I have actually had very good experiences working with women, but I can tell you that at my old firm, the majority of the women partners fit those "charactersitics." However, I think the reason why many are like that is because they had to work 10x harder than men to get where they are. I think a lot of women had to be extremely tough to get where they are today. I am not saying that this is right, but I definitely have seen this.

I hope that this changes as a younger generation of women comes to power!!

On the flipside, I wonder how many woman bosses would prefer to have a man work for them instead of a woman?

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Posted by Shelly

Posted by Lisa

this is really sad!!

I will always pick that I want to work for a man before a woman because every woman that I have worked for has been horrible with the exception of one!!!! BUT that in no way means that a man should get paid more for doing the same job that a woman does.

That is just HORRIBLE!! especially in the year 2007!!!!

But you just proved the point to support the disparity in salary. How can we pay women the same amount of $ if no one, not even women, wants to work with them?

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

and look at something else...

this site is frequented predominately by women, yet the "Rosie leaves the view" thread gets more views and responses than this one does....(beside the fact that there are 2 going, the other on celeb gossip)

if women as a whole care more about gossip than relevant issues, why should things change?

Re: Pay gap between men and women continues

Get this:

I have a 4 yr degree and I make $25k less annually than my DH, who has 3yrs of college but did not graduate. Both professional, white collar jobs. Similiar management functions. Coincidence? I think not.