Employment and Wage Distribution Investigation in the Construction Industry by Gender

Abstract

The construction industry has insufficient interest and participation from women, as well as an existing gender wage gap. To address these issues, a better understanding of the recent situation regarding gender workforce biases and income differences is required. Therefore, this study analyzes employment levels and wage distributions in 2015 by gender through data collected from reputable sources, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Data USA, and the US Census Bureau, on employment and wage gaps related to gender in the construction industry. This data was normalized, and an analysis was conducted to compare males and females versus the total population and median wages. The analysis confirms the existence of gaps in both of these areas, reports that this trend has remained steady over the years, and identifies the top ten construction occupations in which discernable gaps from Data USA can be observed. The purpose is to emphasize the latest status of construction industry employment and wage discrepancy related to gender. This study will contribute to the area of workplace diversity and discrimination by drawing the attention of decision-makers to the problem and encouraging them to develop approaches to reduce disparities. Subsequently, with the attainment of the preceding objectives, the researchers hope this technical note can help increase the interest and sustain participation of women across the construction industry.