Gender Gap in Tenure & Promotion: Evidence from the Economics Ph.D. Class of 2008

Abstract

This study examines early career outcomes (i.e., tenure and promotion) of the Economics Ph.D. class of 2008. We find that female economists are less likely (by up to 15.8%) to have received tenure and promotion eight years post-graduation compared to males in the same cohort. The gender gap becomes more pronounced (e.g., 36.5% less likely to receive tenure/promotion) among individuals of foreign origins working in the U.S. In addition, we find a similar gender bias regarding whether an individual remains on tenure-track positions since the initial job placement in 2008. Adding to the literature, our analysis sheds light on the gender gap in the Economics profession from a broad international perspective.

Keywords: Gender gap, Economics of gender, Labor market outcomes, Tenure and promotion

JEL Classification: J16, J44, A23, I23