Empirical Study On Gender Wage Gap And Occupational Segregation For Urban Workers

It's an evident fact that there exists wide gender wage gap in China. Many factors may contribute to the fact, which involve gender discrimination and differences in human capital endowments and other personal characteristics. By conducting the empirical research, this paper tries to analyze the multiple factors' impact to the wage and occupational attainment of male and female, and delve the types and degree of gender discrimination. The aim of this paper is to provide reference and assistance for the constitution and implement of anti-discrimination policies and the promotion of gender equal employment.Based on data set collected from China Health and Nutrition Survey, this research calculates the difference of occupational distribution between male and female, and breaks down their average hourly wage differential into four sections by employing Appleton(1999) wage decomposition method. Unlike previous literature, this research reveals that although there is occupational segregation against female, female are not prohibited from certain occupation due to discrimination. It's also shown in this research that due to females' less possession in the amount of human capital endowments could explain approximately 37.1% of the total wage differential; the unexplained portion of the wage differential is attributed to intra-occupational unequal pay between gender, which accounts for 64.1% of the total wage differential. To sum up, gender discrimination is still in existence, and significantly affects their income. Thus, the solution to shorten the wage differential should start from the following aspects: improve both the level and the quality of females' human capital possession; perfect the legal system and ensure the benefits of female; develop advanced gender culture and eliminate the culture bias against female etc.