11266 Why Are Professors “ Poorly Paid ” ? JANUARY 2018

IZA DP No. 11266 JANUARY 2018 Why Are Professors “Poorly Paid”?* Using Current Population Survey data, I demonstrate a 15-percentage point wage disadvantage among academics compared to all other doctorate-holders with the same demographics. Time-diary data show that academics’ workhours are distributed more evenly over the week and day, although their total workweeks are equally long. This smoother distribution of work time accounts for as much as one-third of the wage disadvantage. Survey data (of economists only) indicate that flexible scheduling is an attraction, but only fourth among the characteristics of academic life. JEL Classification: J44, J33, J31