The Reverse Wage Gap among Educated White and Black Women

Houseworth, Christina and Fisher, Jonathan (2011): The Reverse Wage Gap among Educated White and Black Women. Published in: Journal of Economic Inequality

Abstract

Using the 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses and the 2004-2005 American Community Surveys, we estimate the black-white wage gap among females with at least some college education. We find that black female nurses earn 9 percent more at the mean and median than white female nurses, controlling for selection into nursing employment. Among K-12 teachers, black females earn 7 percent more than white females at the median. There is no black-white wage gap among all women with a bachelor’s degree. Differences in opportunities for education and marriage between white and black women may explain why highly educated black females earn on par with highly educated white females.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Human capital, differential demand and supply for schooling, wage gaps
• Subjects: J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J31 - Wage Level and Structure ; Wage Differentials; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J0 - General > J01 - Labor Economics: General; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J0 - General

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