One in Five Women Mad Over Gender Pay Differences

The same amount of women reported they have fewer opportunities for career advancement than men at their current employers, CareerBuilder.com found in its poll.

When asked why they think men are paid more, four in 10 women attribute it to favoritism shown by men in management to other males. Twenty-four percent of men say women are paid more because of their seniority on the job.

In terms of overall compensation satisfaction, 54% of women say they are unhappy with how much they make compared to 49% of men. The desire for a fatter paycheck may be why 63% of women and 57% of men say they are unwilling to accept a pay cut, even if it was in exchange for a more satisfying job.

Pay levels often correspond with an employee’s position on the company ladder. While women feel they have fewer career advancement opportunities, four in 10 men and women agree that career advancement opportunities are lacking at their present employers. While almost half of both men and women are satisfied with their career progress, three in 10 men and women are dissatisfied.

“Thirty-one percent of both men and women are dissatisfied with their career progress, which is often measured by pay and title,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com, in a news release. “To enhance job satisfaction and retain key workers, employers need to ensure that their compensation is competitive within their industry and region and carve out promising career paths for their workers.”

The new CareerBuilder.com survey, Men and Women at Work 2004, was conducted from April 6 to April 19, 2004 and covered 634 men and 764 women.