Female earnings in 1981 and 1991: A comparison

AbstractThis paper provides a detailed and comprehensiveexamination of female relative earnings over the period 1981to 1991. Comparisons are made with male estimates. Thedata are disaggregated by sector of employment, revealingimportant and differing underlying trends. In the publicsector, for example, the return to education fell for bothmales and females. In the private sector there was a rise inthe relative earnings of female high school and diplomagraduates, and a decline amongst female degree holders.Private sector male degree holders experienced an increasein their relative earnings.