Women graduates paid less than men

Women graduates are being paid less than men at the start of their careers despite having the same level of qualifications, according to an annual survey from the Higher Education Statistics Authority.

First class female graduates earned an average of £25,000 a year over the first 15 months after leaving university, £2,000 lower than men who had the same level of degree. The survey of more than 355,000 graduates found that men outnumbered women in every salary band above £30,000, while a higher proportion of women were found in lower salary bands.

Alesha De-Freitas, head of policy at women’s campaign group, the Fawcett Society, said that “employers must do more to ensure their hiring and pay policies do not disadvantage women”.

“We have a stubborn gender pay gap in the UK, which harms women and harms our economy,” she added.