The Gender Gap in Pensions and Wages

Abstract

This study provides rationale for the underrepresentation of women in the pension sector and examines the consequences for the gender wage gap. For a given set of observed characteristics, a woman is 11-19 percent less likely than a man to have a pension. Of the unexplained portion of the gender wage gap, 10-38 percent is due to unexplained differences in pension coverage. Finally, consistent with a screening effect of pensions, women are paid more equally in the pension sector. Copyright 1990 by MIT Press.