Female ophthalmologists who work in academic settings earn less than their male counterparts at all ranks, according to new research published March 26 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., utilized data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Faculty Salary Survey from 2016 to 2024, analyzing approximately 1,470 full-time academic ophthalmology faculty per year across 156 accredited U.S. medical schools.
Here are five takeaways from the report:
1. In 2018, women represented 47.2% of assistant professors, a number that rose to 52.1% in 2024. But by 2024, women represented only 30.4% of professors and only 19.1% of chairs.
2. Compensation increased by 3.41% and 1.98% annually for female and male assistant professors, respectively, while pay grew by 3.6% and 2.38% annually for female and male associate professors.
3. Female professors and chairs experienced slower growth in compensation (2.45% and 1.95% annually, respectively) than their male counterparts (2.89% and 3.34% annually).
4. In 2024, women at the assistant professor and chair ranks earned 91 cents on the dollar compared with men, while women at associate professor and professor ranks earned 85 cents on the dollar.
5. This pay disparity would lead to an estimated $1.04 million difference in compensation over a 30-year career.
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