The Wage Gap
There is a significant wage gap for women in STEM. On "average difference in pay between men (M=$88,914.40, SD- $26,769.80) and women (M=$84,608.60, SD= 43.07, p < .01) is about $4,305.90 per year, which is a significant difference (t(334,980) = 43.07, p < .01)" (Special Topics Annual Report: Women in STEM). Except for technology, where women, "are paid more than men in technology jobs because women in technology are fewer in number" (Special Topics Annual Report: Women in STEM), women consistently make less than men starting out at the same jobs. The wage gap contributes to patriarchal ideas of female deficiency and results in lesser pay for fully qualified women. This is especially true in STEM fields adn can influence women's decision to enter the field.
McKenzie Skiles, PhD
With a PhD in geography with a specialized interest in snow science, Dr. McKenzie Skiles has witnessed first hand the effects of the wage gap.
"We'll see what the future holds but I do think that, just to come back to being a woman in this field, I do think that women in academia are generally underpaid. And I think that women at the University of Utah and specifically my department are also slightly underpaid."
Kristina Feldman, PhD
We know that discussing wages have been a taboo topic for many years. It can be a sensitve topic today even. Discussing fair and equitable salary expectations can be extremely intimidating. Dr. Kristina Feldman recalls her experience with her employer and how she navigated that conversation.
"When I was creating my postdoc position, I was working with the department chair on salary. And so, I went on the whole route of, okay, what are they going to give me? What would be fair? Who cares what fair is, right? But that's the route I took. That's kind of how I've been like, societally raised. And I asked for a number that was equitable with other NIH postdocs."
Page written and researched by Ellie Roark and Emilie Sjoblom.
Later edited by Pamalatera C. Fenn