Responses from 227 of 389 female and 161 of 333 male college business seniors found that, although expecting similar starting salaries, women anticipate considerably lower earnings in subsequent years. The difference was not explained by the number of years women planned to be in the labor force. (SK)

Women's expectations of high rates of return to investment in higher education, particularly in nontraditional fields and in those requiring advanced degrees, are shown to be consistent with high levels of investment in these fields. Increasing workforce participation and decreasing fertility also contribute toward reducing the female-male…