Is Pharmacy a Friendly Profession for Everyone in the U.S.? A Probe into Gender and Other Income Disparities

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Pharmacy Practice
• Sociology of Occupations

Background:

• Women persistently earn less than men across professions.
• Pharmacy is often perceived as egalitarian, with a smaller gender earnings gap compared to other fields.
• Recent studies on gender pay disparities in pharmacy are scarce, with some evidence indicating a significant gap when analyzed separately for male and female pharmacists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the nature and magnitude of gender income disparities among pharmacists in the U.S.
• To evaluate the evidence for policy implications regarding gender equity in pharmacy.
• To analyze recent data on pharmacist earnings to address the lack of current research.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 2019-2022 American Community Survey (ACS) data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Sample included 12,450 pharmacists (61.5% women) aged 25-64 years practicing in the U.S.
• Employed ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression models to analyze annual incomes based on work input, human capital, and job-related covariates.

Main Results:

• Estimated a gender earnings gap of up to 18.6% among pharmacists.
• Analysis revealed differences across sociodemographic groups, indicating that the pharmacy profession may not be equitable for all segments.
• The findings challenge the perception of pharmacy as a fully egalitarian profession.

Conclusions:

• Significant gender income disparities exist within the pharmacy profession, contrary to its egalitarian portrayal.
• The study provides empirical evidence supporting the need for policy changes and cultural shifts to achieve gender equity.
• Findings are intended to inform healthcare managers and policymakers on addressing these disparities.