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Is There a Gendered Path to Tenure? A Multi-State Approach to Examine the Academic Trajectories of U.S. Doctoral Recipients in the Sciences

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Abstract

With a focus on possible gender differences, this study used 2003–2013 data from the Survey of Doctorate Recipients to examine individual, institutional, and early employment factors that contribute to career paths of recent doctorates who enter postsecondary academic appointments. Findings showed some noteworthy differences by gender including lower salary and longer time to degree for women, but overall results indicated no strong, comprehensive evidence of a gendered path to tenure during the first decade after degree completion. Scholarly publications and activities such as research and a postdoctoral appointment in early years following degree completion were the most important contributors for both men and women. Implications for policy and planning are discussed.

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Notes

  1. In biostatistics for example, this baseline could be surgery for patients with breast cancer.

  2. We note that approximately seven percent of respondents who moved out of higher education to business and industry or government sector during the first decade after degree completion warrants additional study on reasons for attrition from higher education.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate that this study was funded by AIR/NCES/NSF Grant RG15-9240.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Higher Education, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Karen L. Webber

  2. Higher Education Division, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Manuel González Canché

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  1. Karen L. Webber
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Correspondence to Karen L. Webber.

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All omissions or errors are our own.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

See Table 10.

Table 10 T-test comparisons for male and female coefficients for Tables 8 and 9
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Webber, K.L., González Canché, M. Is There a Gendered Path to Tenure? A Multi-State Approach to Examine the Academic Trajectories of U.S. Doctoral Recipients in the Sciences. Res High Educ 59, 897–932 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-018-9492-4

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