On Campus

Gender gap narrows among professors

Female academics earn between 0.8% and 4.5% less than males

The gender pay gap among academic staff dropped from 19 per cent in 1996 to 11 per cent in 2006, according to a report released by the Canadian Association of University Teachers this month. However, when age and academic rank are controlled for, the gap narrows considerably. Female academics holding the rank of full professor earn an average of 4.5 per cent less than their male counterparts, while females at the rank of lecturer earn just 0.8 per cent less, suggesting that a gap persists as professors advance in their careers. When pay differences between disciplines is accounted for, the gap narrows slightly more by as much as 1.0 per cent. According to the CAUT report, the fact that the gap widens over time suggests possible discrimination when it comes to merit pay market supplements and the fact that women are more likely to have their careers interrupted to have children.

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