The effect of labor market discrimination on the wages of male and female workers has been previously studied (Blinder, 1973; Oaxaca, 1973; Reimers, 1983; Cotton, 1988; Neumark, 1988; and Oaxaca and Ransom, 1994). Changes in the amount of discrimination and the variables that contribute most significantly to it's presence over time have not been dealt with in a consistent manner. The following study attempts to improve upon the existing literature by examining the changing nature of labor market discrimination, by gender, over time, and introducing a new methodology. I find that discrimination by gender is present in the labor market in the years studied, and that the amount of discrimination has decreased by a statistically significant amount from 1984 to 2000. In addition difference-in-difference analysis is used to examine potential changes in the return to various levels of educational attainment.
展开▼
