Utah women often face career ‘segregation,’ significant pay gaps – Utah Public Radio

Report on Early Career Gender Pay Gap and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reveals a significant gender pay gap among recent college graduates, a finding that directly challenges the principles of several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research indicates that female professionals in their early careers earn, on average, 18% less than their male counterparts. This disparity is primarily attributed to “occupational sex segregation,” where men and women are concentrated in different industries and job types. This report analyzes these findings through the lens of the SDGs, highlighting the urgent need for interventions to promote gender equality (SDG 5), decent work (SDG 8), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10).

Key Findings on Gender-Based Pay Disparities

The 18% Wage Gap

The “Early Career Talent Survey,” which included 1,400 professionals who graduated between 2017 and 2023, identified a persistent 18% wage gap disadvantaging women. This gap creates immediate financial challenges, particularly as women are more likely to hold student loan debt and express less confidence in their ability to repay it. Despite similar levels of career satisfaction, the underlying economic disparity points to systemic issues in the workforce.

Root Cause: Occupational Segregation

The primary driver of the pay gap is the prevalence of occupational sex segregation. The data demonstrates a clear divergence in employment sectors between genders:

• Nearly 75% of men surveyed work in the for-profit private sector.
• Just over 50% of women work in the for-profit private sector.
• Approximately 30% of women are employed by non-profits, a sector typically associated with lower compensation compared to private industry.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Contradiction of SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

The existence of a gender pay gap is in direct opposition to the objectives of SDG 5 and SDG 8. Specifically, it undermines:

• SDG Target 5.1: To end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
• SDG Target 8.5: To achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

The 18% disparity demonstrates a failure to ensure equal pay for work of equal value, hindering progress towards both gender equality and the establishment of decent work for all.

Impact on SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 1 (No Poverty)

The long-term consequences of the early-career pay gap exacerbate economic inequalities, directly impacting SDG 10 and SDG 1. The cumulative effect of lower earnings has severe implications for women’s economic security throughout their lives.

• Reduced Lifetime Earnings: An initial pay gap compounds over a career, significantly reducing total lifetime income.
• Lower Retirement Security: With lower earnings, women contribute less to social security and retirement savings, increasing their vulnerability to poverty in old age (SDG 1).
• Hindered Economic Empowerment: The pay gap limits women’s ability to build wealth, invest, and achieve financial independence, reinforcing systemic inequality (SDG 10).

Recommendations and Alignment with SDG 4 (Quality Education)

Strategic Interventions for Systemic Change

Addressing the gender pay gap requires strategic interventions that align with SDG 4 (Quality Education), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The report suggests that breaking down occupational segregation is critical. The following actions are recommended:

1. Promote Early Career Exploration: Introduce female students to a wider range of non-traditional occupations and industries to counteract gender-based career pathing.
2. Enhance STEM Education for Women: In line with SDG Target 4.5 (eliminate gender disparities in education), increasing women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields from an early age can open pathways to higher-paying sectors.
3. Foster Inclusive Work Environments: Encourage employers to actively dismantle occupational segregation and ensure equitable opportunities for career progression for all genders.

By implementing these educational and workplace strategies, stakeholders can work towards closing the gender pay gap, thereby making substantial progress on SDGs 1, 4, 5, 8, and 10.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article’s central theme is the gender pay gap and occupational sex segregation, which are core issues of gender inequality. It highlights how women, despite having the same level of education, face economic discrimination and have fewer opportunities in higher-paying sectors compared to men. This directly addresses the goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article discusses disparities in earnings, economic security, and employment opportunities between men and women. The 18% pay gap for recent female graduates, their challenges with student loan repayment, and the long-term impact on retirement savings all relate to the principles of decent work, full and productive employment, and equal pay for work of equal value.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  While the article focuses on post-education outcomes, it explicitly connects the solution to education. The recommendation to introduce “women to STEM at an early age” and provide “career exploration” points to the role of the education system in equipping individuals with relevant skills for the job market and breaking down gender stereotypes in career choices, which is a key aspect of quality education.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

   The article identifies the gender pay gap as a form of economic discrimination. The finding that women earn 18% less than men for non-performance-related reasons (specifically, “occupational sex segregation”) is a clear example of the systemic discrimination this target aims to eliminate.

2. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.

   This target is directly addressed by the article’s main finding of a significant pay gap between male and female college graduates. The discussion of “occupational sex segregation,” where women are concentrated in lower-paying nonprofit sectors while men dominate the higher-paying private sector, directly relates to the challenge of achieving equal pay for work of equal value.

3. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in political, economic and public life.

   The article points to a lack of equal opportunity in economic life. The fact that “nearly three-quarters of men surveyed work for private-sector companies, while just over half of women do” and the call to “introduce women… to atypical occupations” highlight the barriers preventing women’s full participation in all economic sectors, particularly higher-paying ones like STEM and the private industry.

4. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.

   The article’s proposed solution, “Introducing women to STEM at an early age,” directly supports this target. It emphasizes the need to equip women with technical skills that are in high demand and lead to better-paying jobs, thereby addressing the root cause of occupational segregation.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Implied Indicator for Target 8.5: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation. (Official Indicator 8.5.1)

   The article provides a direct measurement for this indicator by stating that women who recently graduated “made an average of 18% less than similarly educated men.” This percentage is a clear metric of the gender pay gap.

2. Implied Indicator for Target 5.5: Proportion of women in managerial positions. (Official Indicator 5.5.2)

   While not explicitly mentioning “managerial positions,” the article implies a disparity in professional roles and sectors. The data showing that men are significantly more likely to work in the private sector (75%) compared to women (just over 50%), and that 30% of women work in lower-paying nonprofits, serves as a proxy for measuring women’s representation in higher-earning economic sectors and roles.

3. Implied Indicator for Target 4.4: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills. (Official Indicator 4.4.1)

   The article’s call to action to get more women into STEM fields implies the need to track this indicator. Measuring the proportion of women who possess and are trained in STEM-related skills would be a direct way to assess progress on the solution proposed in the article.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: upr.org