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Title: The Consequences of Career Choice: Family and Income Disparities Among Women in Science and Other Elite Professions

Citation Type: Conference Paper

Publication Year: 2012

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Abstract: Women now attain bachelors and graduate degrees at rates that equal or exceed rates for men. Despite this progress, sex segregation in fields of study persists. Men are morelikely than women to major in science, particularly physical science and engineering, and data indicate that gender convergence among science majors is not likely in the near future. Women's choices to enter into science or not, and to enter into physical science or engineering versus other elite professions may be due to their assessment of different levels of compatibility with family goals for various prestigious careers. Using data fromthe 1980 to 2000 Census and the 2009 American Community Survey, we analyze trends over time in highly-educated women's occupational choices and the consequences of theirchoices in terms of marriage, fertility and earnings. We find that the women in science professions earn less than women in other elite professions, like medicine, law andbusiness, but do not experience drastically different family arrangements or wage penalties for having children compared to other elite professions.

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Authors: McDaniel, Anne; Buchmann, Claudia

Conference Name: Population Association of America

Publisher Location: San Francisco, CA

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Gender, Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Other

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