| This subject of this research is the gender gap in earnings and occupational prestige among graduates of elite universities. It is focused on how social capital---the value of the resources embedded in a person's network of acquaintances, friends, family, and work colleagues---affects such inequality.; I surveyed the Harvard College graduating class of 1977, collecting data on the occupational prestige of a sample of their social networks, their personal background, and their recent job history.; I predicted that men and women would have similar levels of social capital, but that women would suffer a return deficit on their social. Results confirmed these predictions. Men also did better than women when men found out about their jobs through professional recruiters. When men found out through a professional recruiter, they earned approximately 57% more than when they found out through a professional colleague (the most common source of job information). However, when women found out about jobs through a professional recruiter, they earned about 62% less than when they found out through a professional colleague. |
