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Title: Examining the Asian Gender Pay Gap in the United States: A Kitagawa-Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition
Citation Type: Dissertation/Thesis
Publication Year: 2021
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Abstract: Asians in the United States have been overlooked in issues of pay inequality and discrimination because they are often portrayed as achieving high levels of education and economic success. Although they currently have the highest median income of all racial groups, they also have the greatest income inequality. Asian workers have the largest gender pay gap of all racial groups; the top 10% of Asian workers earn almost 11 times more in annual income than Asians in the bottom 10th percentile. Despite these large income gaps, there is a lack of research on Asian economic inequality. Social work practitioners and scholars must address this as part of an overall strategy to achieve racial and gender equity in pay. This study contributes by examining how factors such as immigration, citizenship, and discrimination affect the Asian gender pay gap. Methods: This paper uses an exploratory design comprised of stakeholder interviews and analysis of microdata from the most recent 5-year American Community Survey (2013-2018). Analyses: I use Kitagawa-Blinder-Oaxaca (KBO) decomposition—a methodology often used to analyze pay gaps between groups—to decompose mean differences in income for Asian men and women into two parts: an “explained” part accounted for by group differences and an “unexplained” part which is often used as a measure for discrimination. Results: I found that the gender pay gap between Asian men and women differed dramatically depending on birthplace and citizenship status. US-born Asian women earned 89 cents for every dollar a US-born Asian man earned; foreign-born, non-citizen women made only 72 cents compared to their male counterparts; and foreign-born, non-citizen women earned only 54 cents for every dollar their male counterparts received. Although explanations for the pay gaps varied depending on subgroup, the “unexplained” portion of each gap was significant. This means that human capital factors such as level of education and occupational choice could not completely account for the pay differential. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of critically investigating issues of inequality and discrimination within Asian subgroups. Asians constitute a rapidly growing portion of the workforce and are the fastest growing minority population in the United States. By 2055, they are projected to be the largest immigrant group in the nation. This study helps build knowledge on the intersectionality of gender, race, and immigration so that social workers can advocate for equitable policy solutions to address the root causes of these pay disparities and better support vulnerable and marginalized populations concealed under the giant “Asian American” monolith.
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Authors: Mortega, Jessica Pak
Institution: University of Washington
Department: School of Social Work
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Publisher Location: Seattle
Pages: 1-61
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure
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