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Fields of Training, Plant Characteristics and the Gender Wage Gap in Entry Wages Among Skilled Workers – Evidence from German Administrative Data

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  • Braakmann Nils

    (Empirical Economics, Institute of Economics, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Scharnhorststrasse 1, UC.4.210, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

Abstract

This paper investigates the gender wage gap among skilled German workers after the end of vocational training using data from social security records. Using information on worker and plant characteristics for the training plant, results from standard decomposition techniques show that up to 92% of an initial 14% earnings disadvantage for women in the first job can be attributed to differences in endowments. Of these, occupational segregation explains up to two thirds of the earnings gap, with plant characteristics accounting for about 25%.

Suggested Citation

  • Braakmann Nils, 2010. "Fields of Training, Plant Characteristics and the Gender Wage Gap in Entry Wages Among Skilled Workers – Evidence from German Administrative Data," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 230(1), pages 27-41, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:230:y:2010:i:1:p:27-41
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2010-0103
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    Cited by:

    1. Braakmann Nils, 2013. "What Determines Wage Inequality Among Young German University Graduates?," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 233(2), pages 130-158, April.
    2. Doris Weichselbaumer & Juliane Ransmayr, 2022. "The role of sex segregation in the gender wage gap among university graduates in Germany," Economics working papers 2022-12, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender wage gap; decomposition; field of training;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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