Education and Occupational Sex Segregation: The Decision to Major in Engineeringxs

Abstract

Occupational sex segregation is estimated to account for a substantial portion of the sex gap in pay for full-time, year-round workers (England 1992). Although women's representation in many formerly male-dominated occupations has increased since 1972, women are still underrepresented in engineering. In 1993 women were awarded 14 percent of all engineering bachelors degrees and accounted for 8 percent of the U.S. engineering labor force. This study uses data from the 1980 senior sample of the High School and Beyond national longitudinal survey to model sex differences in the choice of engineering in college. Multinomial logit models of major choice are constructed as a function of individual-level attributes associated with high school preparation and gender role attitudes. Decomposition analysis indicates that average sex differences in these two areas explain between 8.8 and 33.4 percent of the sex gap. Policy implications are discussed.