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Sex, Race, and Job Satisfaction among Highly Educated Workers

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  • Hersch, Joni

    (Vanderbilt University)

  • Xiao, Jean

    (Vanderbilt University)

Abstract

There has been a considerable amount of work focusing on job satisfaction and sex, generally finding that women are more satisfied than men despite having objectively worse job conditions. But there is little evidence on whether job satisfaction differs by race or ethnicity. We use data from the 2010 National Survey of College Graduates to examine the relation between job satisfaction and race and ethnicity among Asian, black, Hispanic/Latino, and white workers. Overall job satisfaction does not differ by sex among college graduates. Relative to white workers of the same sex, Asian and black workers are far less satisfied. The lower satisfaction of Asian and black workers relative to white workers is not explained by immigrant status, job match, or other individual or job characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Hersch, Joni & Xiao, Jean, 2015. "Sex, Race, and Job Satisfaction among Highly Educated Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 9355, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9355
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Joni Hersch, 2023. "Gender, race, and job satisfaction of law graduates: Intersectional evidence from the National Survey of College Graduates," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), pages 339-376, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    job satisfaction; gender; race and ethnicity; college graduates; immigrants; discrimination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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