Sexual Inequalities and Socioeconomic Achievement in the U.S., 1962-1973

Abstract

Intercohort shifts in mean education, occupational status and earnings for married persons in the experienced civilian labor forces of 1962 and 1973 represent socioeconomic improvements for both men and women. While the occupational and educational achievements of women have kept pace with men's and indeed exceed the male means, the ratio of female to male earnings has declined from 0.39 to 0.38 for persons in the ECLF. Causal models of the processes of socioeconomic achievement show men and women to be allocated to levels of education and occupational status in much the same manner. Women's achievements are somewhat less related to their family origins, especially farm origins, than are men's, and the net effect of educational attainment on occupational status is larger for women. Intercohort changes in the process of occupational achievement have affected both sexes and include an increase in the net occupational status benefit of an additional year of schooling and a decline in the occupational handicap of farm origins. Equality of economic opportunity for women has not followed from women's opportunities for schooling and occupational status. While the net returns to education have improved more noticeably for women than men, the inter-temporal increases in returns to occupational status have benefited only men. Sexual discrimination accounts for 85% of the earnings gap in 1962 and 84% in 1973.