Female PA students' salary expectations

The male-female wage gap persists in the healthcare sector, even among PAs. The authors examined differences in salary expectations between male and female PA students nationwide, adjusting for other factors expected to affect salaries and pay expectations of matriculates. They used multinomial logistic regression analysis of the Physician Assistant Education Association Matriculating Student Surveys of 2013, 2014, and 2015 to study the relationship between first-year PA students' sex and their salary expectations after graduation. The researchers found that female PA students were less likely than male PA students to expect a salary of $80,000 to $89,999, $90,000 to $99,999, or $100,000 or greater compared with an expected salary of less than $70,000, when controlling for independent variables. The analysis shows that on entry into PA training programs, female PA students have lower earnings expectations than male PA students. These results are consistent with research suggesting that women typically expect lower pay and systematically undervalue their contributions and skills compared with men. Programs should consider strategies to promote realistic salary expectations among PA students as one way to promote earnings equity.