More Women Than Men Are Going to College. That May Change the Economy.
Summary
And so the usual hothouses that grow captains of industry and political leaders are now dominated by women — though men are still a majority of students in some of the highest paying fields like business, computer science and engineering. To date, women have not seen the full rewards of their rising education levels, as their pay continues to lag behind that of men. The structure of high-paying jobs will slowly adapt to better fit the needs of women as they become a more dominant share of the educated work force. That division of labor reflected prevailing social norms, the limited economic opportunities available to women, and the realities of childbirth and nursing. A version of your grandmother’s adage that “opposites attract” reflected the reality that in this earlier time of traditional marriage, men and women specialized in different spheres, and played different roles requiring different skills.