Multiple Dimensions of Gender (Dis)Parity: A County-Scale Analysis of Occupational Attainment in the USA, 2019

Gender economic parity comprises an integral part of the United Nation’s 17 goals toward attaining sustainable development. Women have historically been confined to feminine occupations associated with lower pay, which have negatively impacted their economic wellbeing. This paper examines gendered dimensions of occupational (dis)parity across US counties and their association with educational attainment. Drawing on five years’ American Community Survey estimates (2015–2019) data from the National Historical Geographic Information System, I conduct descriptive statistical analysis of occupation-based location quotients and education, followed by an in-depth share analysis of 26 gender-based sub-categories of occupations. The correlation analysis provides insights into the multiple dimensions of gendered inequalities. Women’s largest engagements still include sales/office (28.66%), service (21.15%), and education/legal/community-service/arts/media (15.03%)—accounting toward 65% of all employed women in the US. Women majoring in science/engineering and related disciplines are still the lowest, which manifests into their alarmingly lower representations in science/engineering and related occupations. This suggests strategic policy interventions to advance women in STEM education. This analysis, however, also suggests occupational parity for women with a master’s education and above who share almost similar types of relationships with major categories of occupations, even though the coefficients are more favorable for males in managerial jobs