Men’s and women’s earnings

It’s old news that men earn more than women and that more women than men graduate from college. What it means is another matter.

To that end, the Indiana Business Research Center has published a study showing that men earn substantially more than women — even when both have the same degree.

Take business, for example. Men with bachelors’ degrees in business make an average of $1.9 million over a 40-year career, the study says. Women make $1.4 million.

Study author Michael Thompson suspects a couple of dynamics, though the points are outside the scope of his study.

Thompson thinks women might be more likely to drop out of the work force to care for children or for other reasons, so they might receive fewer raises.

Or men may pursue higher-paying jobs. Men might use an education degree to springboard into school administration or corporate training while women stick with teaching.

Any theories of your own? And how do you feel about the gap? To what extent is overt discrimination still a factor?