Mediators of Gender Wage Disparity in MFT Academia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research on gender wage disparity in MFT academia finds women are consistently paid less than men faculty members. This study expands on previous research by testing if peer-reviewed publications and years in the field mediate the effect that faculty members' gender has on salary. Our results support these factors as significant parallel mediators, meaning the effect of a faculty member’s gender on salary, happens byway of peer-reviewed publications and time in the field. No direct effect was found between gender and salary, indicating that gender differences in salary are best explained though indirect pathways of implicit gender bias rather than conscious acts of gender discrimination. Implications are discussed for university administrators wanting to address salary inequities in their MFT programs.