Gender Differences in Salary and Promotion for Faculty in the Humanities 1977-95

This study uses data from the Survey of Doctorate Recipients to evaluate gender differences in salaries and promotion for academics in the humanities. Over time, gender salary differences can largely be explained by academic rank. Substantial gender differences in promotion to tenure exist after controlling for productivity and demographic characteristics. However, we observe a slight decline in the gender promotion gap for the most recent cohort evaluated. On the basis of this evidence, we conclude that gender discrimination for academics in the humanities tends to operate through differences in promotion, which in turn affects wages.