It is not a myth: For every dollar a man makes working full time, a woman only makes 76 cents.
In fact, this is 1 cent less than last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
A survey released by the bureau in August found the real median earnings of men 15 and older working full time, year-round was $40,668. Women with the same work experience made $30,724, which was a decline of 0.6 percent since last year, said Mike Bergman, public affairs spokesman for the U.S. Census Bureau.
This marked the first time since 1995 that the wage gap between men and women has increased, according to the survey.
The statistics speak for themselves; it's real. It's not as big as it once was
but it's there said Ann Tickamyer, professor of sociology at Ohio University. It may not be deliberate but women's work still is not as valued as men's.
But Tickamyer said minor fluctuations from year to year are negligible. The troubled economy could have something to do with the recently increased wage gap, as women tend to be last hired
first fired
she said.
What you're looking for are trends
and the trends have certainly been an improvement
she said. Over the last few decades
the wage gap has gradually eroded as more women work full time and the number of women in traditionally male jobs continue to rise.
A report released in June analyzed the earnings of men and women in 505 occupations using U.S. Census data from 2000, which used income reports from 1999. This is the first time a tabulation of this sort has been done, Bergman said.
The report determined women make as much as men in only five occupations: hazardous material removal workers; telecommunications line installers and preparers; meeting and conventions planners; construction helpers; and dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers.
According to the report, overall, the median wage of women is less than men, and the range of their earnings is narrower.
The highest-paid occupations for both men and women are physicians and surgeons, but the median shows women only make 63 cents for every dollar men make in the field.
Female post-secondary teachers with a college education make about 80 percent of what male post-secondary teachers with a college education earn.
OU's human resources department recognizes the broader issues associated with gender equity, especially related to pay, said Jim Kemper, director of the department, which handles the salaries for administrators and hourly staff.
Fortunately
we have not had to face blatant gender discrimination
Kemper said. We try to nip things in the bud as we come across them.
The pay plan put into effect in 1979 took an aggressive stance to address gender pay, he said. Their policy calls for no discrimination between men and women.
Experts say one reason for the gender wage gap is the sex-segregation of occupations. Jobs are still stigmatized as male or female.
Women's jobs traditionally pay less than men's jobs regardless of how much skill is needed
how important they are
