A study released today revealed that the pay inequality between men and women continues to exist despite years of effort and laws designed to prevent discrimination based on gender.
The study by the American Association of University Women followed thousands of men and women who have graduated from U.S. colleges since 1993, and found that virtually from graduation onward women were paid less than men.
Women fresh out of college in 1993, going into their first full time job, earned 80 percent of what men made — despite the fact the women in general graduated with higher grades. What is particularly worrisome, said Catherine Hill, director of AAUW’s education foundation, is that in 2000, women who graduated from college still made just 80 percent of what their male counterparts earned.
“We’ve seen some improvement in the pay gap, but most recently we’re seeing some slowing in the closing of the pay gap,” Hill said.
For women who stayed in the workplace, the imbalance only worsened over time. By 2003, the women who had graduated in 1993 were earning an average of 65 percent of what their male counterparts were making.
Moreover, the study found that when children are factored in, women’s overall earnings dropped drastically.
Roughly 40 percent of women either left the workplace or ended up working part time, compared to 3 percent of men.
Women in Washington face slightly better conditions, said the Greater Washington Board of Trade — but not by much.
The median salary for men in the greater D.C. area, the figure midway between highest and lowest earners, is $59,154. For women it is $47,003, a roughly 26 percent difference.
Education may be key in narrowing the pay gap, Hill said. With roughly 50 percent of the district’s workforce possessing a college degree — more than any other area in the country — it may be a place to watch.
“If it goes away some day, it will go away here first,” Priest said. “I would look to Washington to be a model.”
