(Source for Photo: -Mark Richardson, Keystone News Service, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of: (Jacob Lund/AdobeStock)

(Produced by Mack Richardson of Keystone News Service and Reported by Fara Siddiqi)

(Harrisburg, PA) Women who recently graduated from college are earning significantly less than their male counterparts. A new study reveals that women from Pennsylvania and other states who earned bachelor’s degrees within the past seven years earn an average of 18-percent less than similarly-educated men. Research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that segregated work environments are the main reason for the disparity. Mary Gatta, a policy researcher and co-author of the report, says the problem is so prevalent that job analysts gave it a formal title. The Early Career Talent Survey interviewed 14-hundred professionals who graduated between 2017 and 2023, including about 500 men and 900 women. It found that the gap brings financial challenges for women, who are more likely to have student loans but less confident of their ability to repay them.