Women in Corporate R&D Still Get Paid Less

continue to increase their representation in science and engineering graduate school programs. But there are questions about how hospitable an environment they'll find if they choose industrial R&D after their studies. Graduate enrollment of women in science and engineering increased by 1 percent from 1995 to 1996, according to the National Science Foundation's most recent statistics. At the same time, the number of male students fell 3.3 percent. As a result, women's share of total S&E graduate enrollment reached a high of 39 percent. Not surprisingly, the percentage of doctoral science/engineering degrees awarded to women is inching upward too. In 1991, females earned 28.9 percent of the total. By 1996, they won almost a third-31.8 percent of these degrees. Finally, in the male bastion of engineering master's degrees, women earned 14 percent of the total in 1991. This had baby-stepped up to 16.2 percent in 1995, the most recent year available. Substantial Salary Gap Despite the steady gains in enrollment and degrees, women scientists and engineers still are not well represented in industry. Of Ph.D.s in industry, 85.6 percent are men, and a mere 14.4 percent are women. Further, there is a substantial salary gap: Male Ph.D.s in industry have a median pay of $75,000. Compare that to women's $64,500. (The figures are for 1995, the most recent year available). Both differences can be attributed to the different fields that men and women choose, says Joan Burrelli, a senior research analyst with the National Science Foundation, who specializes in this area. are more likely to enter the fields that industry uses the most of and pays the best -- chemistry and engineering. pay picture also depends on the professional's age: No gap exists among younger science and engineering talent. It occurs in those over 35, roughly. Does this mean that a gap that formerly existed has been wiped out, and today's new graduates can look forward to a lifetime of pay parity? Not likely, says Mary Mattis, Ph.D., vice president of research and advisory services at Catalyst, a New York-based organization that works to advance women in business. She points out that the NSF's salary statistics are consistent with those in two Catalyst studies, one on women in engineering at corporations (1992) and a more recent one on women in sales. The sexes start out at salary parity, or even with women a little higher, due to recruitment incentives, says Mattis. Within the next three to five years, the gap starts to develop. have fewer promotions. Most supervisors are men, she explains. They perceive a risk in promoting a woman without absolute certainty that she can do the job. Men get stepped up largely on the basis of their potential, Mattis underscores. Women are often not promoted until they actually demonstrate that they can do the job. In some cases, they do it, but don't get the title for a while. Cultural Issues Other related cultural issues contribute to the picture, say close observers. There is still very much this idea that you can't be feminine and be good in science and technology, says Catherine Didion, executive director of the Association for in Science, Washington, D.C. A recent Dilbert cartoon underscores the point, she adds. Dilbert is shown in front of the registration desk at a conference. …