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Gender Differences in the Early Employment Outcomes of STEM Doctorates

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  • Kimberlee A. Shauman

    (Department of Sociology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA)

Abstract

The representation of women among STEM doctorates has grown over the past decades but the underrepresentation of women in the STEM labor force persists. This paper examines the immediate post-degree employment outcomes of nine cohorts of STEM doctorates who attained their degrees between 1995 and 2013. The results reveal both progress toward gender equity and persistent inequities. Contrary to historical gender disparities, a small female advantage has emerged in the attainment of tenure-track faculty positions, women are increasingly less likely than men to enter postdoctoral positions, and the flow of STEM doctorates into business and industry, which was once male dominated, is now gender neutral. Among the doctorates who do not follow the doctorate-to-faculty career path, women are as likely as men to “stay in STEM,” but less likely to attain research-oriented jobs. Gender segregation in occupational attainment and significant gender gaps in earnings, however, continue to be defining characteristics of the STEM labor force. The results show that the labor market disparities vary across STEM fields but are largely not attributable to the gendered impact of parenthood and dual-career marriage.

Suggested Citation

  • Kimberlee A. Shauman, 2017. "Gender Differences in the Early Employment Outcomes of STEM Doctorates," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:6:y:2017:i:1:p:24-:d:92123
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Freeman, Richard B. & Goroff, Daniel L (ed.), 2009. "Science and Engineering Careers in the United States," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226261898, October.
    2. Richard Williams, 2012. "Using the margins command to estimate and interpret adjusted predictions and marginal effects," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 12(2), pages 308-331, June.
    3. Paula Stephan & Jennifer Ma, 2005. "The Increased Frequency and Duration of the Postdoctorate Career Stage," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 71-75, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sarah Thébaud & Maria Charles, 2018. "Segregation, Stereotypes, and STEM," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Tiffany Chow, 2022. "The Geography of Jobs: How Proximity to a Prestige Labor Market Shapes Opportunity for Computer Science Degree Holders," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Sharon Sassler & Katherine Michelmore & Kristin Smith, 2017. "A Tale of Two Majors: Explaining the Gender Gap in STEM Employment among Computer Science and Engineering Degree Holders," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-26, July.
    4. Sonia Verdugo-Castro & Alicia García-Holgado & María Cruz Sánchez-Gómez & Francisco José García-Peñalvo, 2021. "Multimedia Analysis of Spanish Female Role Models in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Marilyn Cabay & Bianca L. Bernstein & Melissa Rivers & Natalie Fabert, 2018. "Chilly Climates, Balancing Acts, and Shifting Pathways: What Happens to Women in STEM Doctoral Programs," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-33, January.
    6. Mike Thelwall, 2020. "Mid-career field switches reduce gender disparities in academic publishing," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(3), pages 1365-1383, June.

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