Working Paper: NBER ID: w7732
Authors: Francine D. Blau; Lawrence M. Kahn
Abstract: We consider the gender pay gap in the United States. Both gender-specific factors, including gender differences in qualifications and discrimination, and overall wage structure, the rewards for skills and employment in particular sectors, importantly influence the gender pay gap. Declining gender differentials in the U.S., and the more rapid closing of the gender pay gap in the U.S. than elsewhere, appear to be primarily due to gender-specific factors. However, the relatively large gender pay gap in the U.S. compared to a number of other advanced countries seems primarily attributable to the very high level of U.S. wage inequality.
Keywords: gender pay gap; wage inequality; occupational segregation
JEL Codes: J3; J7
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| gender-specific factors (J16) | narrowing of the gender pay gap (J79) |
| improvements in women's qualifications (J16) | wage outcomes (J31) |
| entry of women into higher-paying sectors (J79) | wage outcomes (J31) |
| wage structure (J31) | gender pay gap (J31) |
| gender differences in qualifications (J16) | wage outcomes (J31) |
| occupational segregation (J79) | earnings (J31) |