Women Show Some Gains in High-Tech Salaries

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 -- Professional women with 20 to 29 years experience in electrotechnology and information-technology fields have higher median incomes than like-experienced men, according to the IEEE-USA Salary & Fringe Benefit Survey, 2001 Edition.

Women with 20 to 24 years experience earned an average of $100,037 per year from primary sources, while men made $98,500. Women with 25 to 29 years experience received $107,000, men $99,600.

At lower experience levels, however, men earned more than women. For example, for those with five to six years of experience, men made a median income of $76,000, compared to $68,000 for women. Men with 15 to 19 years of experience received $96,000 a year, while women earned $84,700.

With more than 9,500 respondents, the survey revealed a median primary income of $93,100 for all US IEEE members in 2000. Primary sources of income include base salary, bonuses, commissions and self-employment income. Women make up 6.8 percent of the US membership.

A regression analysis to determine the net contribution of many factors on primary income reveals that, on the whole, female US IEEE members are paid 7.3 percent less than men. This is probably a more reliable indicator of distinction in member income, the IEEE said.

Among ethnic groups, Asian American IEEE members had the highest median primary income at $99,000. Non-Hispanic whites made an average of $93,000, while those from "other" backgrounds -- usually people from India, Pakistan or the Middle East -- had median incomes of $92,100. Hispanic members reported a median income of $86,500, and non-Hispanic African Americans made $86,340.