Abstract
The purpose of this research was to compare pay expectations of women and men. Participants were 371 college students (261 women, 110 men; 94% White) from a variety of majors. Most students at this university are middle class. Consistent with prior research, women estimated significantly lower salaries at career entry and peak and rated family considerations and pleasant working conditions as significantly more important than did men. Men and women differed on salary estimates for others, influence of salary on decision to enter a field, time off for childrearing, career certainty, and weekly work hours. Controlling for average salaries in the listed job, job characteristic importance, career path, and job input differences eliminated the gender differences at entry and reduced the difference at peak.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Beutell, N. J., & Brenner, O. C. (1986). Sex differences in work values. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 28, 29-41.
Brown, C. (1997). Sex differences in the career development of urban African American adolescents. Journal of Career Development, 23, 295-304.
Browne, B. A. (1997). Gender and preferences for job attributes: A cross-cultural comparison. Sex Roles, 37, 61-71.
Crites, J. O. (1981). Career counseling: Models, methods, and materials. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Davidson, M. J., & Cooper, C. L. (1992). Shattering the glass ceiling: The woman manager. London: Paul Chapman.
Dick, T. P., & Rallis, S. F. (1991). Factors and influences on high school students' career choices. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 22, 281-292.
Farmer, H. S., Rotella, S. C., Anderson, C., & Wardrop, J. L. (1998). Gender differences in science, math, and technology careers: Prestige level and Holland interest type. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 53, 73-96.
Farmer, H. S., Wardrop, J. L., Anderson, M. Z., & Risinger, R. (1995). Women's career choices: Focus on science, math, and technology careers. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42, 155-170.
Farmer, H. S., Wardrop, J. L., & Rotella, S. C. (1999). Antecedent factors differentiating women and men in science/nonscience careers. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 23, 763-780.
Firestone, J. M., Harris, R. J., & Lambert, L. C. (1999). Gender role ideology and the gender based differences in earnings. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 20, 191-215.
Gasser, M. B., Flint, N., & Tan, R. N. (2000). Reward expectations: The influence of race, gender, and type of job. Journal of Business and Psychology, 15, 321-329.
Gasser, M. B., Oliver, J. A., & Tan, R. N. (1998). The influence of age and type of job on gender differences in pay expectations. Career Development Quarterly, 47, 36-47.
Hojat, M., Gonnella, J. S., Erdmann, J. B., Rattner, S. L., Veloski, J. J., Glaser, K. et al. (2000). Gender comparisons of income expectations in the USA at the beginning of medical school during the past 28 years. Social Science and Medicine, 50, 1665-1672.
Honeycutt, T. L., & Rosen, B. (1997). Family friendly human resource policies, salary levels, and salient identity as predictors of organizational attraction. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 50, 271-290.
Jackson, L. A., Gardner, P. D., & Sullivan, L. A. (1992). Explaining gender differences in self-pay expectations: Social comparison standards and perceptions of fair pay. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 651-663.
Kaman, V. S., & Hartel, C. E. J. (1994). Gender differences in anticipated pay negotiation strategies and outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 9, 183-197.
Keaveny, T. J., & Inderrieden, E. J. (2000). Gender differences in pay satisfaction and pay expectations. Journal of Managerial Issues, 12, 363-379.
Major, B., & Forcey, B. (1985). Social comparisons and pay evaluations: Preferences for same-sex and same-job wage comparisons. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 21, 393-405.
Major, B., & Konar, E. (1984). Aninvestigation of sex differences in pay expectations and their possible causes. Academy of Management Journal, 27, 777-792.
Major, B., Vanderslice, V., & McFarlin, D. B. (1984). Effects of pay expected on pay received: The confirmatory nature of expectations. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 14, 399-412.
Marini, M. M., Fan, P. L., Finley, E., & Beutel, A. (1996). Gender and job values. Sociology of Education, 69, 49-65.
Martin, B. A. (1989). Gender differences in salary expectations when current salary information is provided. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 13, 87-96.
McCaffrey, S. S., Miller, T. K., & Winston, R. B. (1984). Comparison of career maturity among graduate students and undergraduates. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(2), 125-132.
McFarlin, D. B., Frone, M. R., Major, B., & Konar, E. (1989). Predicting career-entry pay expectations: The role of gender-based comparisons. Journal of Business and Psychology, 3, 331-340.
Mitchell, J. B. (1984). Why do women physicians work fewer hours than men physicians? Inquiry, 21, 365-368.
National Science Foundation. (1990). Selected data on science and engineering doctorate awards: 1990 (Report No. NSF 91-310). Washington, DC: Author.
National Science Foundation. (1997). Women and science: Celebrating advances, charting challenges. Arlington, VA: Author.
Nevill, D. D., & Super, D. E. (1988). Career maturity and commitment to work in university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 32, 139-151.
Orndorff, R. M., & Herr, E. L. (1996). A comparative study of declared and undeclared college students on career uncertainty and involvement in career development activities. Journal of Counseling and Development, 74, 632-639.
Phillips, S. D., & Imhoff, A. R. (1997). Women and career development: A decade of research. Annual Review of Psychology, 48, 31-59.
Poe, R. E. (1991). Developmental changes in vocational identity among college students. Journal of College Student Development, 32, 249-252.
Redman, S., Saltman, D., Straton, J., Young, B., & Paul, C. (1994). Determinants of career choices among women and men medical students and interns. Medical Education, 28, 361-371.
Sumner, K. E., & Brown, T. J. (1996). Men, women, and money: Exploring the role of gender, gender-linkage of college major, and career-information sources in salary expectations. Sex Roles, 34, 823-839.
Super, D. E., Zelkowitz, R. S., & Thompson, A. S. (1975). Career Development Inventory-Adult form I. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Thacker, R. A. (1995). Gender, influence tactics, and job characteristics preferences: New insights into salary determination. Sex Roles, 32, 617-638.
Todisco, J., Hayes, S., & Farnill, D. (1995). Career motivations of male and female medical students. Psychological Reports, 77, 1199-1202.
Tsui, L. (1998). The effects of gender, education, and personal skills self-confidence on income in business management. Sex Roles, 38, 363-373.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heckert, T.M., Droste, H.E., Adams, P.J. et al. Gender Differences in Anticipated Salary: Role of Salary Estimates for Others, Job Characteristics, Career Paths, and Job Inputs. Sex Roles 47, 139–151 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021095005694
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021095005694