One of the main reasons people choose to attend college is because they believe that their degree will lead them to a well-paying job in a secure field.
But new research suggests it's a promise disproportionately fulfilled for men.
Bankrate recently analyzed the most lucrative bachelor's degrees available to graduates, many of whom earn average salaries in the six-figure range after graduation.
However, the data also revealed that nearly four in five graduates with these degrees are men, with only 22% being earned by women.
degree with a six-figure salary
Of the 20 degrees with the highest entry-level salaries, the majority were in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), Bankrate said.
After analyzing data on 151 majors and median earnings for college graduates, Bankrate found that electrical engineering has the highest return on student loans versus income.
Electrical engineers earned a median annual salary of $110,000, followed by computer engineers at $104,000.
Degrees in aerospace engineering, computer science, chemical engineering and pharmacy, pharmacy, management, etc. earned an average salary of $100,000.
But of the top 20 degrees, which also include physics, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, economics and applied mathematics, only one course had more women accepted than men. It's pharmaceutical science. According to Bankrate's analysis, 56% of graduates in the major were women.
A STEM degree 'doesn't protect against the gender pay gap'
Outside of the pharmaceutical industry, Bankrate found that female-dominated degree subjects are associated with much lower earning potential. Experts noted that even women with STEM degrees face pay equity hurdles.
The five majors with the highest percentage of female degree earners include early childhood education (median salary of $43,000), communication disorders ($57,000), family and consumer services ($45,000), and elementary Education ($40,840) and nursing ($70,000) were included.
“Despite the fact that women have outnumbered men on college campuses for decades, the gender gap in lucrative college majors remains very large,” said Bankrate analyst Alex Gailey. suggests that women are still playing catch-up.”
She noted that even women who graduate with STEM degrees are likely to be paid less than their male colleagues.
“We know that women studying these high-paying degrees are still paid less than men when they enter the workforce,” she said. luck. “In other words, a STEM degree does not protect against the gender pay gap.”
According to a 2021 study by Pew Research, the median income for women in STEM fields was $66,200, about 74% of the $90,000 earned by men in these professions.
This is a slight increase from 2016, when the gender pay gap in STEM sectors was 72%.
Women 'lose millions of dollars'
According to Gary, women are over-represented in low-paying degrees and under-represented in high-paying degrees, leading to a “compounding effect” that results in women being underrepresented throughout their working lives. They say their income is decreasing.
“The difference in pay between a large, male-dominated company and a large, female-dominated company is tens of thousands of dollars, which can cost a woman millions of dollars over her lifetime,” she says.
The best way to combat this gap in the long term is to start fighting it as soon as possible, experts said. luck.
Yuxi He, co-founder of Boston-based education consultancy Knovva Academy, said women often report not feeling a sense of belonging in STEM professions, and as a result, are discouraged from entering science fields from a young age. She emphasized the importance of nurturing female talent. Year.
She offered some advice for women and girls looking to build a career in STEM-focused industries.
“To differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive environment, students need to gain STEM-related experiences through extracurricular activities such as math, chemistry, and biology clubs,” she said.
“We want students to compete in national competitions, build robots to solve problems in their local communities, and conduct research projects on how safe and clean their local swimming holes are. We want them to take things a step further, and we're sure they're interested in not only showing them a path in STEM, but also using their STEM skills to contribute to their community and expand their reach into non-STEM fields. It also shows a comprehensive ability.”
He added that applicants also stand out if they demonstrate a “genuine and consistent interest” in the field.
“Good academic performance and test scores are fundamental, but students need to go outside the classroom and present themselves as unique and qualified applicants,” she said. “They need to build their personal brand early on.”
This article originally appeared on Fortune.com
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