The Role of Firms in Gender Earnings Inequality: Evidence from the United States

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2017
Volume: 107
Issue: 5
Pages: 384-87

Score contribution per author:

8.043 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper documents that in the US, men are more likely than women to work in both high-wage firms and high-wage industries. I then ask why this sorting occurs. I consider two main explanations: men and women have different preferences, and men and women have different opportunities. Through the lens of a simple random search model, I find that the dominant explanation for sorting is differences in opportunities. One implication of this result is that women are at firms that offer better nonpay characteristics, and this plays an important role in explaining the gender earnings gap.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:107:y:2017:i:5:p:384-87
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29