A study by Ervin Maliq Matthew, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Cincinnati, finds that a significant racial pay gap remains, even for those who have achieved success in higher education. The study was presented at the 109th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco.
The study followed a large, multiracial group of eighth graders in 1988 through the year 2000 when most of the participants were 25 years old. Accounting for differences in socioeconomic status, educational attainment, academic performance, occupational field and other factors, Dr. Matthew compared incomes of the different racial groups. He found that for individuals with similar educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, there was a wage gap of more than $5,700 between Blacks and Whites. If gender was also considered, the racial wage gap dropped to $3,400.
Dr. Matthew has been on the faculty at the University of Cincinnati since 2012. He is graduate of Lehman College of the City University of New York and holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in sociology from Ohio State University.
