Wages and gender composition: Why do women's jobs pay less

Occupational sex segregation and its relationship with wages during the 1973-93 period are examined. Wage level and wage change models are estimated using data from various CPS earnings files matched with information on occupational skills and job disamenities. Standard wage level equations indicate that female and male wages are substantially lower in occupations with high proportions of women. Estimates of gender composition effects are reduced by about a quarter for women and by over one-half for men following control for skill-related occupational characteristics. Longitudinal analysis indicates that two-thirds or more of the standard gender composition effect can be accounted for by occupational characteristics and unmeasured worker quality or taste differences