Women doctors in NJ make way less than men — Why does wage gap persist?

Female physicians in New Jersey make on average at least $100,000 less than their male counterparts, according to a new report on doctor compensation in the United States.

The analysis from Doximity, a social media site for clinicians, points to a state-level wage gap of 30 percent in New Jersey. Women doctors earn, on average, $244,094, versus $348,140 for men in the same positions working the same amount of hours.

Nationally, the gender gap is 26.5 percent, or $91,284, in favor of men, the report says.

The research found no medical specialty in which women earn more than men.

"This has been established for a long time," said Dana Britton, director of the Center for Women and Work at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. "It always surprises my students, as well — same number of years in medical school, same number of years in residency, and the pay gap is huge."

Britton noted research has shown that the wage gap starts right out of the gate for medical professionals. A 2011 study of physicians leaving residency programs in New York State from 1999 to 2008 uncovered an immediate pay gap of $16,819 between newly-trained men and women.

"Certainly, discrimination can matter; it may just be that male physicians are more likely to be hired, and hired at higher salaries," Britton said.

The likelihood and success of negotiation may play a role as well, she said. According to Britton, studies have also shown that women who negotiate pay in the same manner as men are perceived as less likable and are less likely to be hired.

"For women ... negotiation is sort of a double-edged sword," she said.

Doximity's analysis is based on a survey of 36,000 physicians throughout the country.

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Contact reporter Dino Flammia at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com.