“Although there are now more young women in Quebec graduating with a postsecondary diploma or degree than their male counterparts, they continue to be paid less, even when many of the factors that contribute to labour market inequality, such as having children, are removed from the equation,” said Emna Braham, Deputy Director of the Institut du Québec.
The gender gap is most pronounced among the highest-earning graduates, those in the top 10%, standing at 13% one year after graduation and 19% five years later.
Co-author Annie Pan explained that in conducting this analysis, they gained access to a new source of data which allowed them to chart graduates’ academic progress over time and compare it to their incomes.
“We were also able to isolate the effect that certain factors might have on earnings, including the level and field of study, the chosen line of business and whether or not there were any dependent children in the household,” Pan added.
Female CEGEP and university graduates had a harder time climbing the ranks and landing the highest-paying positions, according to the research.
