The engineering sector did not show a big pay gap between men and women, with the former expecting to earn €41,719 and the latter seeking earnings of €41,698.

A recent survey of more than 8,000 Irish students revealed that although in general women expect to earn 11% less than men expect to earn, the difference is far less in the tech and engineering sectors.

Most Attractive Employers Index Ireland

Universum, part of the Irish Jobs group, asked students in a variety of university programmes from STEM to humanities, via a survey, to find out what they expect from employers. The results wre updated in the fifth edition of the Most Attractive Employers Index Ireland.

While the male participants said they expect to earn €40,441 in their first full-time job following third level, women said that they expect to earn €35,891, an average gap of about 11%. This is the first time the expectation gap has risen since 2020.

Sector by sector, engineering did not yield a significant pay gap between men and women, with men expecting to earn €41,719 and women looking for earnings of €41,698. However, women tech students expect to earn 9% less than their male counterparts. Male tech students expect to earn €41,989 while women are looking for a starting salary of €38,240. 

Steve Ward, UK and Ireland business director at Universum, said that “more work needs to be undertaken by employers to address this issue and achieve greater pay parity”.

Different expectations

He said the poll showed that men and women students had different expectations and needs for their future career path. Men value financial compensation while women look towards job security and a friendly working environment. Overall though, high future earnings and job security were the top two items on average that students wanted from their future roles.

“The next generation of graduates is joining a strong jobs market, with the unemployment rate close to a historic low,” said Ward. “In this context, it is unsurprising to see high earnings as the top preference for graduates once again. A rising cost of living indicates that the next generation of graduates are prioritising future financial income, while the tight labour market offers a constructive environment to achieve progress on this ambition.”

A total of 75% of those taking part in the survey said they were interested in remote working opportunities, which is a 4% rise on the same figure from 2022. Ward said that firms hiring for graduate programmes should take into account the needs of the current cohort of graduates to compete effectively for the cream of the crop.