The gender pay gap is the gap between what men and women are paid annually for the same position. We’ve all heard of it, but few have a true understanding as to exactly how members of their own communities are affected by it.
Based on 2018 data, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that women make on average 82 percent of what men make, but what does that statistic actually mean? How true do these numbers hold for different communities?
Within the Athens community, Ohio University employees match this statistic to a T. The Post, an Ohio University student-run publication, published “The Salary Guide,” which gives a look into all of the University’s employee salaries (updated annually). Looking at this past school year, male employees were paid an average salary of $69,917, while female employees were paid an average salary of $57,095.
The matter-of-fact is: Ohio University female employees are paid 82 cents to the average male employee’s dollar.
Credit: Isabella Pennese
OK yes, there are some issues to address. You can’t make the data as simple as that when there are so many factors that go into an employee’s salary, not to mention the diverse array of positions within the university itself.
Let’s debunk this:
It’s no secret that the university’s highest-paid employees are all male — whether it is the basketball coach, the football coach, or the president. They all make more than a whopping $500,000 a year. At first glance, it may seem that these salaries would entirely skew the pay gap claim at Ohio University. However, when we break the employees down into categories, there’s no escaping the truth of the numbers.
