Salaries and advancement of women faculty in atmospheric science: some reasons for concern

Zevin and Seitter's analyses of the 1993 American Meteorological Society membership survey indicated that university/college employees had the largest difference in salary by gender when controlling for experience and age. Further analyses of the membership survey presented here indicate that a large salary discrepancy exists for female full professors in atmospheric science. In addition, the small number of women at the associate professor rank suggests a “leaky pipeline” for female atmospheric science faculty. A comparison of tenure-stream faculty to Ph.D.-level atmospheric scientists outside of academia suggests that female Ph.D.'s have fared better in nonuniversity positions in terms of senior-level salaries and advancement from entry- to midlevel positions. Possible explanations for the salary differential at the full professor level and for the small number of female associate professors in atmospheric science are explored, although no conclusive explanation can be given at this time. Possible actions to remediate the salary differential and poor advancement of faculty are proposed. These remediative actions are directed to heads and chairs of atmospheric science departments who are often in a position to initiate change within their departments and universities.