A study released recently by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation found that college-educated women earn only 80 percent of what their male colleagues earn while working in the same field just one year after graduation.
The AAUW research found the pay gap exists even though women outperform men academically in school. Women earn slightly higher grade-point averages in every field, including math and science.
Ten years after graduation, the gap widens, with women earning just 69 cents for every $1 dollar men earn.
Federal and state laws prohibit wage discrimination but do these laws need to be strengthened? Many business groups oppose stronger laws, saying they could turn hiring into a bureaucratic nightmare for employers.
Source: The Ann Arbor News, April 29, 2007