More Women Becoming College Professors For Less Pay, Fewer Promotions: Study

Jet, March 8, 1999

Though more women are becoming college professors, according to a recent survey, they are doing so for less pay and fewer promotions than men.

Women only made up 22.5 percent of all U.S. faculty members in 1974-75, but by 1997-98 the percentage had increased to 33.8 percent.

The study, conducted by the American Association of University Professors, indicates that more than half the women are in lower positions such as lecturers and instructors, regardless of the type of institution. It found that women also are more likely to work at community colleges, which generally pay less than fouryear colleges and universities.

In 1997-98 women represented 55.6 percent of lecturers, 58.6 percent of instructors and 46.8 percent of assistant professors, which are the profession's full-time, entry level positions. But just 18.7 percent of full professors were women.

Based on an annual survey, the data was taken from about 2,500 public and private college administrators. The response rate is about 75 percent, researchers said