As National Equal Pay Day came and went this week, the fact women still earn less than their male counterparts remains an issue of concern for many students.
Aureen Arellano, a 20-year-old biology sophomore, has known about the wage inequality since she started working at 16 years old, she said.
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research released a fact sheet this week showing the presence of the gender wage gap in the 20 most common occupations for both men and women.
“There are women out there who are working just as hard and just as many hours as men who have the same exact job, but they still get paid less,” Arellano said. “There’s no excuse for this.”
Women earned 77 cents for each dollar earned annually by men and 82 cents of each dollar earned weekly, according to the IWPR report.
The fact sheet was based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the data, among the 20 most common occupations for women, financial managers faced the largest earnings gap in 2011. Women earned $991 per week compared to the $1,504 earned by men.
Among the 20 most common occupations for men, chief executives faced the largest earnings gap: Women earned $1,464 per week while men earned $2,122.
There’s a lot to take into consideration when people hear or discuss the wage gap, said Elizabeth Hebeler, vice president of UF’s Women’s Student Association.
“Job salaries should be based on the quality of the individual, work potential and what they can bring to the company, not just on gender,” she said. “We wouldn’t want our wage based on race, age or other factors either, right?”
Marla Munro, a 20-year-old women’s studies sophomore, believes the wage gap reflects how society views and treats women.
In response, women need to speak up, she said.
“Women need to learn how to negotiate for their salaries instead of settling for the first offer.”
