In my research methods class, we had to review data for a specific industry/sector (of our choosing) and determine whether a gender pay gap exists — and if so, how drastic it is. I received positive feedback from my prof (woot!), so I figured would share my findings here:

Using 2009-10 survey data collected by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, I calculated the gender pay gap among professors at public colleges and universities in the State of Georgia (25 institutions).

 
The greatest differences occurred within the two lowest ranks: Instructor and Assistant Professor. Among these faculty members, women made $1,850-$2,400 less than men did in median annual salary. Associate Professors and Professors made $200-$500 less by the same calculations.

 
I also calculated the mean (average) salaries for each faculty category, which showed a similar trend. However, the gaps at the Associate Professor and Professor level were much larger ($1,798-$1,940, respectively). Granted, the mean may not account for outliers at either end of the spectrum—those making much more or much less than others.

 
GA faculty pay gap graph
One possible explanation for the discrepancies between genders could include differences in work experience, which was not tabulated in the AAUP survey. It would stand to reason that faculty with more years of experience would make more. However, the rank of Assistant Professor is often an entry-level, tenure-track faculty assignment, and I do find it disconcerting that the largest pay gap occurred at this rank. A difference of $2,400 per annum equates to a significant disparity over the course of a career.