Women students continue to have lower pay expectations than men

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The differences in pay expectations of women and men students getting ready to graduate have declined somewhat from last year, but the gap is still evident.
      Men expect to earn an average EUR 335 more in a month in their first job after graduation than women in the same position do. A survey conducted a year ago put the figure at EUR 350.
      The difference in pay expectations for men and women students has grown steadily since 2000.
      Whereas the average expectation for annual pay for graduates of both genders was EUR 28,700 last year, this year it is an average EUR 29,400. Women are expecting EUR 855 a year more than last year, while the increase with men has been EUR 655.
     
The survey on students' pay expectations involved nearly 5,000 students in technical and commercial fields in universities and polytechs, and was conducted in January - March this year. The average age of the students was 25, and many of them are scheduled to graduate in 2008.
      The research was conducted by the international consultancy company Universum, which studies future hopes and attitudes of young people.
      Changes from last year included pay expectations, as well as working hours. This year's students are more willing to work longer than those surveyed a year ago. Women expect to work 40 hours a week, and men expect to work 41 hours a week. This is an hour and a half more for each.
      "Now we have gone back to the same level with the other Nordic Countries. Last year, expectations for working hours among Finnish students were significantly lower than elsewhere", says Michalela Herlin of Universum.
      Finnish young people continue to expect to work shorter hours than those in the other Nordic Countries. In Sweden, young people expect to work as much as 45 hours a week. In Norway and in Denmark, the expectation is for an hour or two more than in Finland.
      Pay expectations are also at a higher level than in Finland. Danish students expect about EUR 46,500 a year, while the Norwegians hope to get EUR 42,600 and the Swedes want more than EUR 32,000. In all of the countries, the pay expectations for men are significantly higher than among women.
      "The market in Denmark and Norway is quite crazy at the moment - a total job-seeker's market. They can set their pay expectations, and companies will pay almost anything. But especially in Denmark, one has to keep in mind that the Danes pay more taxes than we do, and they also pay some of the employers' contributions themselves, such as insurance and pension payments", Herlin says.
     
Money interests Finnish young people too, even though the pay expectations are the lowest in the Nordic Countries. When asked what they felt was the most attractive thing that an employer can offer, the answer was the same as a year ago: good pay. For men, pay levels were clearly the top priority. For women, a secure job was nearly as important as pay. In addition to good pay and job security, young people are interested in flexible working hours and varied tasks at work.
      Management duties or rapid career progress are not at the top of the list for young people, although interest in these has increased somewhat in the past year.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Women students have lower pay expectations than male counterparts (6.6.2006)

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