International Day of the Girl: How Does Choosing a Career at a Young Age Affects Earnings in Adulthood?
- Pnina Astanovsky
- May 3
- 4 min read
Even when the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is asked for the first time, the social conditioning that we are all familiar with begins for our children.
Girls dream of becoming teachers, nurses, and—among the dreamers—princesses. Meanwhile, boys aspire to be firefighters, police officers, soldiers, or astronauts.
While we tend to melt at the thought of these sweet dreams, choosing a career path at a young age has a significant impact on the economic future of each and every one of our children.
The differences in responses, which at first seem innocent and charming, grow over the years—through school, high school, and military service. Over time, the gap widens, and its impact becomes noticeable throughout life, ultimately affecting one’s earning potential in adulthood.
What is the effect of gender on choosing a career path?
Choosing a career path at a young age is not only influenced by character and personality but also by many social and cultural perceptions. Even today, in 2024, researchers still point to significant gaps between women and men in various professions. Women continue to favor careers in education and nursing, while men almost automatically gravitate toward technological and engineering fields—industries known for their higher earning potential from the outset.
This begins at an even earlier age than we might think. A 2020 (1) study conducted at the University of Chicago found a positive correlation between choosing technological careers at a young age and higher earnings in adulthood. Since women tend to choose “feminine” career paths as early as high school, this limits their opportunities for higher salaries in the future and, in effect, restricts their abilities and mindset from exploring career fields beyond the accepted norm.
So, why does this happen at all?
Young people’s tendency to pursue gender-specific careers is not random at all. It stems from gender-based conditioning that has been occurring for years—usually unintentionally. Girls, from an early age, receive less encouragement to choose technological and scientific fields, which naturally leads to a lack of confidence and diminished interest in these areas. This likely happens through family and environment, which themselves adhere to certain social norms and unconsciously pass them down. Over time, the growing gap becomes increasingly noticeable.
For instance, a 2018 study from Harvard University (2) found that girls begin to doubt their abilities in science and math as early as age six! In the study, researchers refer to this phenomenon as the "confidence gap," despite the fact that there is no innate difference in cognitive abilities between boys and girls. As a result, many girls grow up to become women who avoid pursuing technological and scientific careers, instead preferring fields that are considered "safe" for women.
How does this affect earnings?
We all know that "male-dominated" careers tend to be more profitable. The fact that men still earn almost 30% more than women is troubling for many of us, and this is exactly what we need to work on changing. Some may argue that men earn more simply because they work in higher-paying jobs, but this is precisely where we need to close the gap. Gender conditioning and career choices made at a young age shape future earning potential and ultimately sustain the existing wage gap.
Unfortunately, we still encounter cases where women and men work in the same roles, with the same level of experience, yet receive different salaries. In many cases, women in management positions also tend to receive fewer promotions.Some may argue that this is simply a matter of supply and demand, but the more people we have in technology and science, the stronger our ability to address and reduce this gap.
What can we do?
To achieve gender equality in career choices and earning potential, we must begin by implementing educational strategies that encourage girls and young women to believe in their abilities.There are numerous studies (3) showing that with the right integration of educational models into school curricula and early exposure to technological fields, we can raise a new generation of girls who are just as excited about science and technology as their male classmates.
There are quite a few initiatives emerging across the country that promote encouragement and training for women specifically in technology fields, such as the She Codes or Game DevelopHER projects. These initiatives provide women with practical tools but, more importantly, instill a sense of capability in various technological fields. The work of these projects is undoubtedly commendable, but we must not forget that encouragement and a sense of capability should also come from home.
We must encourage our daughters to dream big and not limit themselves to "safe" professions. Every girl who wants to pursue programming or mathematics can and should receive full support and a nurturing environment—both in moments when she seeks to expand her horizons and in moments when she struggles. Ultimately, the goal is for every girl who wants to soar to be able to do so, in any direction she chooses. Our role is simply to give her the wings and the belief that she can pursue whatever she desires.
The author: Pnina Astanovsky - Avoda Shava.
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