Running Head: Pay Inequality between Male and Female RNs

Pay Inequality between Male RNs

Gina Pozorski
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Gender Inequality between Male and Female RNs

Introduction
In the nursing field, male registered nurses are paid considerable more than female
registered nurses, despite the fact that 9 of 10 registered nurses are female (Rapaport,
2015). Even in cases where education and experience are equal, male nurses will receive higher
compensation for their work. This pay gap is cause for concern as the number of male nurses has
continued to rise since 1970 (Tanner, 2015).

Problem
The passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963 sought to eliminate the practice of unequal
compensation based on gender but it still persists today. Male RNs out earned female RNs
across settings, specialties, and positions with no narrowing of the pay gap over time (Muench,
2015). The practice of paying males more than females is unfair and should not exist in modern
America. Ulrike Muench Ph. D., assistant professor of social and behavioral sciences in the
School of Nursing at UCSF said Given the large numbers of women employed in nursing,
gender pay differences affect a sizeable part of the population and their families (Maier, 2015).

Purpose
The purpose of this report is to inform employers of RNs and future RNs of the pay
inequality that exists between males and females in the field of nursing. This report will address
the potential reasons for the pay gap as well as possible solutions to the problem.

Gender Inequality between Male and Female RNs

Discussion
Male and female registered nurses receive much of the same general education. Nurses
typically attend a university where they receive an associates degree in nursing. This training
typically takes a little over 2 years and then they test to become a registered nurse. While being a
registered nurse, a nurse can then test and receive additional certifications.
work side by side doing the exact same clinical practices.

Males and females

To receive a higher degree,

registered nurses must then return to the university setting to pursue their bachelors of nursing.
This degree generally raises a nurses wages considerably and allows for then to advance their
career into administrative positions. To receive higher education, a registered nurse with their
BSN must then pursue their masters or even doctorates of nursing. Achieving a masters degree
creates avenues for further advancement to positions of administration, nurse practitioner or
nurse midwife. Every single degree and certification raises a nurses pay. Despite receiving the
same education, male nurses are compensated about $5,000 more even after adjusting for thing
such as education and experience, work hours, clinical specialties, and marital and parental status
(Rappaport, 2016).

Source: Muench,2015

Recommendations
Eliminating this problem falls both to the employers of nurses and nurses
themselves. Better educating both parties will help to eliminate this practice. Employers should

Gender Inequality between Male and Female RNs

take note and seek to equally compensate male and female nurses when their skills, education
and work load are the same. Female nurses should seek to better educate themselves on how to
research and negotiate higher wages for themselves.

Gender Inequality between Male and Female RNs

Annotated Biblography
Gender inequality still a trend as nurses face the "glass escalator" (n.d.). Retrieved March 09,
2016, from http://www.examiner.com/article/gender-inequality-still-a-trend-as-nurses-face-theglass-escalator
In this article, Megan Stockhausen discusses the statistics of male nurses vs. female
nurses. The number of male nurses in the field has continued to rise since the 1970s along with
their pay. Nursing has long been a female dominated field but men have become the higher
wage earners. The census bureau has documented this pay differential at about an average of
$10000.
Even in nursing, no equal pay for women. (2015). Retrieved March 10, 2016, from
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-equalpay-nursing-idUSKBN0MK1YK20150324
In this article Lisa Rapaport talks about how the the pay difference between male and
female nurses. This article was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
This article discusses the pay differences between male and female nurses and links the
difference to several reasons. It states that male nurses may work longer hours and that they are
often more highly educated than their female counterparts. It also says that male nurses may
work in higher risk environments as well.

Male Registered Nurses Make Thousands More in Salary Than Female Counterparts. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 10, 2016, from https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2015/03/124266/male-registerednurses-make-thousands-more-salary-female-counterparts

This article discusses the pay discrepancy between male and female nurses. It says that female
nurses over the course of a 30 year career will earn approximately $155,000 less than their male
counterparts. It says that because nursing is female dominated this pay discrepancy affects a
large number of the population. It wants to draw public awareness to the issue and promote a
change. It suggests that nurse employers could implement changes that would be beneficial to
the population. It also suggests that female nurses should negotiate with their employers to
obtain a higher wage.

Press, L. T. (2015). Women dominate nursing field, yet men make more. Retrieved March 10,
2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/03/25/male-nurse-genderpay-gap-women-nursing/70419356/

This article talks about the pay difference of male nurses versus female nurses being smaller than
other professions but does acknowledge its existence. Male nurses make up less than 10% of the

Gender Inequality between Male and Female RNs

total nurses. It states that the pay difference is balances out to little over $5000 a year. It says
that the largest pay gap is in the field of anesthesiology. The article states that female nurses
may receive a lower wage because they may have children and leave the workplace for a certain
amount of time.

Salary Differences Between US Male and Female RNs. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2208795
This article discusses the pay difference between nurses specifically in the time period following
the passage of the Equal Pay Act. Salary trends were obtained and documented by a mail
survey. There were 87, 903 participants in the study, 7% were male registered nurses. The study
found that male registered nurses out earned female registered nurses and that over time the pay
gap does not narrow.