A new national study shows that female faculty members at the University of Georgia fare significantly better than their counterparts around the country in a comparison of salaries paid to males and females who hold faculty rank.
A brief report on the study, conducted by the American Association of University Professors, was presented at the Nov. 2 University Council meeting by Maryanne Akers, chair of the council’s Faculty Benefits Committee.
The study shows that gaps exist in salaries paid to male and female faculty at UGA and nationally. But the gaps at UGA are smaller than the national average, and for the rank of assistant professor women at UGA exceed the national average and earn more than men.
The salary data is part of an in-depth look at the issue of gender equity at the nation’s colleges and universities. The study examines trends in hiring, promotion and pay at 1,445 institutions including 221 major public and private doctoral universities such as UGA, as well as smaller public and private schools.
According to the study, women at all doctoral universities nationally earn 78.1 percent of what men earn on average for all faculty ranks. But at UGA, the salary average for all female faculty is 85.2 percent of salaries for males.
For the rank of assistant professor, women at UGA earn 100.1 percent of what males earn, compared to 91.5 percent for all doctoral institutions. Women at the rank of associate professor at UGA earn 95.6 percent of salaries for male associate professors, compared to 92.7 nationally. And women who are full professors at UGA earn 93.4 percent of what male full professors earn, compared to 90.9 percent nationally for all doctoral institutions.
UGA female faculty also come out ahead when compared with women at only public doctoral universities-UGA’s peer and aspirational institutions. For all academic ranks, women at public doctoral universities earn 78.6 percent of men’s salaries. Female full professors earn 90.8 percent of male salaries, female associate professors earn 92.8 percent and female assistant professors earn 91.6 percent.
“Our senior administrators have been mindful of this important area, so I’m pleased to see that UGA fares well compared to our peers,” said President Michael F. Adams. “It’s an area that deserves and will receive our continued attention.”
The study shows that 30.9 percent of UGA’s full-time faculty members are women, compared to 34.1 percent for all doctoral institutions nationally, and 34.4 percent for all public doctoral institutions.
