SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Pew Research Center released new data that shows young women are closing the pay gap, and in nearly two dozen cities they make more money than young men, including San Diego.
"If you look at areas where women outpace men, it’s the big growth areas like New York, Los Angeles you got high tech, you got finance, and those require high levels of education," said Alan Gin, who is a professor of Business at University of San Diego.
Gin says the reason women under 30 are making more money than men, is simply because of education.
"Women are attending college at greater rates than men, they’re getting education and good jobs,” said Gin.
And while experts say nationally, men on average still make more than women, that’s not the case in certain metropolitan areas.
Among the top ten areas where young women earn more than young men, San Diego ranks sixth.
In fact, women in San Diego make on average close to $2,000 more than men. That’s a difference of about 5%.
"Women have always been progressing and things will always get better whether that be policy, cultural changes so on and so forth," said Alexandra Rene Poelstra, who is an entrepreneur and sits on the executive board of the Carlsbad chamber of commerce.
Poelstra works with small business owners and says the reason for this shift is because women of all races are getting more opportunities.
"Women are having children later, if at all, less children, we’re spending more time in education and we’re spending more time in the work force," said Poelstra.
She also says younger women are speaking up more for what they
"We’re seeing these younger generations say, ‘nope that’s not what I want’ and I’m not going to do it,” said Poelstra. “They’re continuing to push for what they want and push aside what they don’t and that’s continuing to close the gender pay gap."
Poelstra recommends young women should focus on goals and pursue what they want to do.
To view the full Pew Research Center report, view here.
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