Job satisfaction and gender: an expanded specification from the NLSY

Abstract

Estimates the determinants of job satisfaction for younger US workers. While age representative data from both the USA and Britain routinely show women reporting greater job satisfaction, this is not true for the younger US cohort in National Longitudinal Survey of Youth sample. Finds no gender satisfaction gap, but does find that the job satisfaction of women is less sensitive to both actual and comparison earnings than that of men. Moreover, estimates an expanded specification showing substantial gender differences in the influence of fringe benefit provision (including childcare) on job satisfaction. The expanded specification also demonstrates that while general skills are associated with greater job satisfaction, specific skills are associated with lower job satisfaction, argues that the results are in keeping with human capital theory.