By Christopher Van Mossevelde

Compared to men, women around the world anticipate less in annual earnings. In the 16 countries where Universum conducted its research, and based on the answers of 224,542 university students, female graduates’ salary expectations are generally below that of men’s. In Austria, female graduates’ salary indications were on average 21 per cent less than their male counterparts. In Italy, it was 20 per cent less, and in Poland and Germany, it was respectively16 per cent less. Austria is the country where the ‘gender pay gap’ can be considered the highest, followed by the other above mentioned countries. Where the differences were smallest, however, were in the Netherlands and Sweden (seven per cent), Norway (five per cent) and the UK (four per cent). The results do not represent current salary levels, yet are an indication of what graduates expect to earn in their first job after graduation. More importantly, the results emphasise that the ‘gender pay gap’ begins with female graduates looking forward to earning less.

Anne Margrethe Mannerfelt, Director of Western Europe at Universum commented, “A gender divide exists in most countries around the world partly because women ask for less. Studies show that women don’t negotiate as much as men do for their salary. This needs to be addressed if women are to earn the same as men. In addition, to be prepared for future salary talks, a woman should always benchmark her salary to a man’s in their position and industry”.

According to the International Women’s Day website, women earn 20 per cent less than men one year out of college and 31 per cent less 10 years later*. Universum’s research shows that when comparing salary expectations between male and female graduates, however, women on average ask for 11 per cent less than what men ask for in annual earnings. “If equality is to be reached, it will have to start with female graduates demanding more”, said Anne Margrethe.