Highly educated American women face the largest gender gap in terms of both seniority and pay, making up just 25% of the US's top 10% earners. But in opposite-sex couples, when one career takes priority, it’s generally the man’s. Alongside discrimination and family planning, economists say the US's obsession with long, inflexible hours is a key culprit here, reportedly offsetting the fact women are more educated than they have ever been. The US has one of the world's highest rates of paid maternity leave, but only about half of working mothers take it.
Highly educated American women face the largest gender gap in terms of both seniority and pay, making up just 25% of the US's top 10% earners. Alongside discrimination and family planning, economists say the US's obsession with long, inflexible hours is a key culprit here, reportedly offsetting the fact women are more educated than they have ever been. The US has one of the world's highest rates of paid maternity leave, but only about half of working mothers take it.