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Abstract
This study decomposes the salary differential of academic employees at the University of Wyoming by gender, race, and citizenship, using salary data for the 2009-2010 academic year. The salary differential is broken into an explained portion due to differences in characteristics, and an unexplained portion caused by differences in returns to those characteristics. External grant origination is used to gauge the effects of performance. A subset of high grant producing colleges (Arts and Sciences, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Engineering and Applied Science) is identified and separately examined. Using a probit model the advantage in academic rank afforded to males, Whites, and U.S. citizen is measured.
The results show that there is no statistically significant salary advantage by gender or race. There is a statistically significant salary advantage to U.S. citizens. Differences in characteristics explain the vast majority of the salary differential for race and gender. Differences in characteristics do not explain the salary differentials by citizenship, which are largely driven by differences in the returns to characteristics. Race, gender, and citizenship are not significant indicators of progression through academic ranks. Overall, it appears that the University of Wyoming bases their salaries and promotions on traits other than gender, race, and citizenship.
