Gender Equity and Student Loans: Is Lower Salary and Higher Debt Burden Progress?

• In Event: 16.014 - Gender Activism, Advocacy, and Policy Formation

Abstract

Given the facts that women still earn significantly less than men, that most American students rely on loans to attend college, that tuition in higher education has increased, and that women have to take more students loans than men, can we still claim that we are closing the gender gap? Do females have more burdens to pay off their student loans after graduation? This study employs social stratification theory to examine social practices that impact female’s earnings and ability to repay their students loans. The authors offer a quantitative model to highlight the inequity in the American Workforce considering female lowers salaries and higher student loans.

Authors

• Amany Saleh, Arkansas State University

• QianQian Yu, Arkansas State University

• H. Steve Steve Leslie, Arkansas State University

• John Seydel, Arkansas State University