People with permanent disabilities working in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the United States earn an average of $10,580 less annually than their non-disabled counterparts, according to a large survey of PhD holders in STEM in the United States.
The Significant Wage Gap for Disabled Scientists in the United States
Researchers also found that disabled individuals working in STEM academic positions experience a larger wage gap than those employed in other STEM sectors. On average, they earn $14,360 less than their non-disabled peers. The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour on November 27, analyzed survey data from 704,013 individuals holding PhDs in STEM who work in positions related to their expertise.
Poor Representation and Disclosure Culture
The study indicates that this poor representation partially explains the wage gap. Poor representation means that there are few disabled mentors for early-career researchers and students, and there is likely unequal access to tools that enhance research skills, such as networking and collaboration opportunities.
Disclosure Culture and Disclosure Policies
These issues stem from a culture that favors non-disabled individuals in academic institutions, according to co-researcher Bonnie Swainor, a scientist and researcher at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Disability Health Research in Baltimore, Maryland. “The expectation is that we won’t be there. So, STEM was not designed to include us,” says Swainor. Part of the problem is that many people fear reporting their disabilities at work. “There is still no good culture of disclosure,” says Swainor. Many workforce data collection surveys do not cover all types of conditions, such as learning disabilities. Additionally, many universities also lack clear disclosure policies that protect confidentiality, according to Jay Dolmage, a disability rights researcher at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Representation for Disabled Individuals
Despite the prevalence of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, these efforts need to be more robust in accommodating disabled individuals—especially at the career level, according to researchers. “Representation will remain low until some change occurs,” says Swainor. “As long as this continues, we will keep losing a large pool of innovative professionals.”
References
Castro, F. et al. Nature Hum. Beh. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01745-z (2023).
Leave a Reply