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Gender wage gap among young adults: a comparison across British cohorts

Author

Listed:
  • Francesca Foliano

    (University College London)

  • Alex Bryson

    (University College London)

  • Heather Joshi

    (University College London)

  • Bozena Wielgoszewska

    (University College London)

  • David Wilkinson

    (University College London)

Abstract

We study the evolution of the gender wage gap among young adults in Britain between 1972 and 2015 using data from four British cohorts born in 1946, 1958, 1970 and 1989/90 on early life factors, human capital, family formation and job characteristics. We account for non-random selection of men and women into the labour market and compare the gender wage gap among graduates and non-graduates. The raw and covariate adjusted gender wage gaps at the mean decline over the period among non- graduates, but they rise among young graduates. The gender wage gap across the wage distribution narrows over time for lower wages. Adjusting for positive selection into employment increases the size of the gender wage gap in earlier cohorts, but selection is not apparent in the two most recent cohorts. Thus the rate of convergence in the wages of young men and women is understated when estimates do not adjust for positive selection in earlier cohorts. Differences in traditional human capital variables explain only a very small component of the gender wage gaps among young people in all four cohorts, but occupational gender segregation plays an important role in the later cohorts.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesca Foliano & Alex Bryson & Heather Joshi & Bozena Wielgoszewska & David Wilkinson, 2023. "Gender wage gap among young adults: a comparison across British cohorts," DoQSS Working Papers 23-02, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.
    • Handle: RePEc:qss:dqsswp:2302
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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Simonetta Longhi, 2025. "Success stories and continuing challenges: A longitudinal analysis of gender-ethnic wage gaps in the UK," RFBerlin Discussion Paper Series 2507, ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin).
    3. Sook Kim, 2025. "Cohort Differences in the Lifetime Parenthood Gender Pay Gap in the UK: An Accelerated Cohort-Sequential Growth Curve Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 179(1), pages 201-234, August.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs

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