Female graduates earn less than their male counterparts as soon as they leave university, according to a new survey.
The study conducted by Glassdoor found that women who graduate from American universities earn 11.5 per cent less than men.
The research found that US male graduates earn on average $56,957 compared to women who earn around $50,426 in the five years after graduation.
The study concludes that this gender pay gap is caused by men and women sorting into different industry sectors.
The research reveals that male and female students gravitated towards different majors. Men tend to take tech and engineering majors leading to a higher-paying career, while women tended to take healthcare administration and social work.
Of the ten majors examined by Glassdoor, nine of the highest-paying majors are male-dominated. In contrast, six out of ten of the lowest-paying majors are female-dominated.
Speaking about the report, Dr Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor chief economist said, “You would expect new grads to find a level playing field when it comes to pay, but they generally don’t.”
“Glassdoor’s analysis shows an 11.5 per cent average pay gap among new grads in the early years of their careers.”
“When we isolate by major, pay gaps remain because men and women are sorting into different jobs after graduating – a clear sign of societal pressures and gender norms at play in the career paths of young workers.”
