Women in Stem Occupations and the Gender Wage Gap
In 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was signed, women made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men (based on Census figures of median wages of full-time, year-round workers). In 2009, women still earn 77% of what men earn based on the median earnings of year-round, full-time workers. The wage gap is slightly narrower for those women that are employed in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) occupations, which ranges from 80 to 94% of what men make. (NCPE) Technology has long been considered a male-dominated business and very few women in that industry are in the top positions of their companies. According to Forbes ' 2010 list, The World 's 100 Most Powerful Women, there are eight women on that list that are in the technology industry. It is these eight women that are creating or have created a milestone for other women who may have thought the technology industry was no place for them to make it big. The eight women that are listed on this year 's Forbes ' list are as follows:
• Ursula Burns - Chairman and CEO of Xerox - she is both the first black woman to head an S&P 100 company and the first woman to succeed another female CEO of an S&P 100 company. She is ranked number 20 on the Forbes list.
• Arianne Huffington - Editor and cofounder of The Huffington Post. She cofounded The Huffington Post in 2005, which is an American news website and blog. She is ranked number 28 on the Forbes list.
• Tina Brown - Editor and cofounder of The Daily Beast. She is a former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. She cofounded The Daily Beast in 2008, which is an American news reporting and opinion website. She is ranked number 34 on the Forbes list.
• Carol Bartz - Chief Executive at Yahoo. She held many executive positions at the software company Autodesk for 17 years before taking over at Yahoo in 2009. She is ranked number 42 on the Forbes list.
• Meg Whitman - Gubernatorial candidate in California. Meg is well known for
• Ursula Burns - Chairman and CEO of Xerox - she is both the first black woman to head an S&P 100 company and the first woman to succeed another female CEO of an S&P 100 company. She is ranked number 20 on the Forbes list.
• Arianne Huffington - Editor and cofounder of The Huffington Post. She cofounded The Huffington Post in 2005, which is an American news website and blog. She is ranked number 28 on the Forbes list.
• Tina Brown - Editor and cofounder of The Daily Beast. She is a former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. She cofounded The Daily Beast in 2008, which is an American news reporting and opinion website. She is ranked number 34 on the Forbes list.
• Carol Bartz - Chief Executive at Yahoo. She held many executive positions at the software company Autodesk for 17 years before taking over at Yahoo in 2009. She is ranked number 42 on the Forbes list.
• Meg Whitman - Gubernatorial candidate in California. Meg is well known for
References: "President Obama Launches "Educate to Innovate" Campaign for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (Stem) Education". 23 Nov 2009. Whitehouse.gov. 21 Oct 2010. < http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-launches-educate- innovate-campaign-excellence-science-technology-en> Tech 's Most Powerful Women. 13 Oct 2010. Forbes.com. 14 Oct 2010. "Wage Gap Remains Static". 1 Oct 2010. National Committee on Pay Equity(NCPE). 20 Oct 2010.