Education, occupation and career expectations: determinants of the gender pay gap for UK graduates

Chevalier, Arnaud (2006) Education, occupation and career expectations: determinants of the gender pay gap for UK graduates. CEEDP (69). Centre for the Economics of Education, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK. ISBN 0753020165

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Abstract

A large proportion of the gender wage gap is usually left unexplained. In this paper, we investigate whether the unexplained component is due to misspecification. Using a sample of recent UK graduates, we introduce variables on career expectations and character traits, variables that are typically not observed. The evidence indicates that women are more altruistic and less career-oriented than men. The main difference concerns career break expectations which explains 10% of the gender wage gap in our favoured model. By omitting attitudinal variables most studies are likely to over-estimate the unexplained component of the gender wage gap. Women with a more traditional view concerning childrearing are also found to have less intensive search behaviour. These results suggest that without a change in attitudes, the gender wage gap is likely to remain at its current level.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	http://cee.lse.ac.uk
Additional Information:	© 2006 Arnaud Chevalier
Divisions:	Centre for Economic Performance
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor L Education > L Education (General)
JEL classification:	J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J16 - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J13 - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Time Allocation, Work Behavior, and Employment Determination and Creation; Human Capital; Retirement > J29 - Other J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J7 - Labor Discrimination > J70 - General
Date Deposited:	15 Jul 2008 10:11
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2023 23:03
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/19409

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