Agricultural Graduate Earnings: The Impacts of College, Career, and Gender

Abstract

Survey data were used to identify determinants of starting and current salaries of agricultural graduates from Kansas State University from 1976–97. Salaries were significantly influenced by major field, advanced degrees, job location, gender and family variables, motivation for accepting a job, and job mobility. Salary structures were estimated separately for male and female alumni. Women earned less than men, after controlling for observed differences between the two groups. Decomposition of the salary differential revealed that gender salary differences were primarily due to differences between sexes in starting salaries, field of study, job experience, and higher returns to married men.