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Reaching the Top or Falling Behind? The Role of Occupational Segregation in Women's Chances of Finding a High-Paying Job Over the Life-Cycle

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  • Gutierrez, Federico H.

Abstract

Using a two-stage decomposition technique, this paper analyzes the role of occupational segregation in explaining the probability of women vis-à-vis men of finding high-paying jobs over the life-cycle. Jobs are classified as highly-remunerated if their compensation exceeds a threshold, which is set at different values to span the entire wage distribution. Results obtained from pooled CPS surveys indicate that the importance of occupational segregation remains virtually unchanged over the life-cycle for low- and middle-wage workers. However, women's access to high-paying occupations becomes significantly more restricted as workers age, suggesting a previously undocumented type of `glass ceiling' in the U.S.

Suggested Citation

  • Gutierrez, Federico H., 2018. "Reaching the Top or Falling Behind? The Role of Occupational Segregation in Women's Chances of Finding a High-Paying Job Over the Life-Cycle," GLO Discussion Paper Series 273, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:273
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John T. Addison & Orgul Demet Ozturk & Si Wang, 2014. "The Role of Gender in Promotion and Pay over a Career," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 8(3), pages 280-317.
    2. Andrea H. Beller, 1985. "Changes in the Sex Composition of U. S. Occupations, 1960-1981," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 20(2), pages 235-250.
    3. Wiji Arulampalam & Alison L. Booth & Mark L. Bryan, 2007. "Is There a Glass Ceiling over Europe? Exploring the Gender Pay Gap across the Wage Distribution," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 60(2), pages 163-186, January.
    4. Winter-Ebmer, Rudolf & Zweimuller, Josef, 1997. "Unequal Assignment and Unequal Promotion in Job Ladders," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(1), pages 43-71, January.
    5. Suzanne Bianchi & Nancy Rytina, 1986. "The decline in occupational sex segregation during the 19705: census and cps comparisons," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 23(1), pages 79-86, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Occupational segregation; glass ceiling; life-cycle career; gender wage gap;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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