Gender Gap

I found several studies that indicate although the number of women practicing public relations has increased dramatically since the 1980s, but still women all over the globe do not receive the same salaries as men with the same educational background experience.

The gender gap means women are paid less and fewer reach top corporate positions in the PR field. I have written emails to some female executives in communications asking for comments. Their comments were that the reason why women don't want to comment on their salaries is because they fear of being drummed out. Women know if they even comment, much less complain, they will be branded as a bitch or whiner, or worse, a troublemaker that should be gotten rid of. As for the pay gap in PR, there's no doubt that women are seen as lesser or not "long distance runners" by the men in charge, regardless of how these men may act outwardly.

Though women are dominating the industry numerically, men still earn more than women. If looking at America men earn $20,000 on average more than women. Jim Hutton, Associate Professor of Marketing and Communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University, argues that the salary gap is justified because men often have more experience than women, they work longer hours, and tend to work in corporate PR, an area that pays more.

Also, a current survey in PR Week showed the average age of males in the industry is 37.1 whereas females were 32.4. The male population in PR is older, so that means that they would definitely have more experience then women, and as we know with any job the more you have experience the more likely you would get paid more. What really tends to happen to women is that most women at some point in their lives have to concentrate not only on their career development but also on their families and family life, while men tend to focus more on their careers.

However, according to Kathy Lewton, CEO of the Public Relations Society Association (PRSA), statistical tests show that gender still makes significant impact on salary though she couldn’t determine the percentage difference.

As I was looking at these studies, the issue of salary inequality between men and women in communications is not new news. What is so disturbing is that it is the same news that I have read now has been for the last 20 plus years, yes even I' am sure their has been an improvement in the salaries but still women don't get paid equally as their male colleagues. The other concerning point is how few top corporate or organizational positions are held by women (in the PR Week Survey, for example, less than one third of the top posts were held by women.

Even though now women dominate the public relations profession the difference in the average salary of males compared to female employees is statistically significant. We are dealing with far deeper issue and no easy solutions to the problem of inequality between men and women in pay and responsibility.

I hope to see in the future encouraging signs as strong women take over as heads of agencies and at younger ages achieve top corporate positions. If we are to see significant advances, agencies must take on a leading role in paying what the job is worth instead of differentiating between the male and female gender.

The table below is from PR Week's salary survey, this survey was conducted in 2002. This table includes factors such as age, experience level, education level, average hours per week, years in current positions, and finally years spent in the PR profession for both of the genders male and female.

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