The examination of the history of the education of women brings to the forefront the
history that provides the backdrop which impacts the present and the future. The education
of women has advanced significantly with universities accepting all genders in all subjects.
Opportunities and professions are said to be available determined by merit rather than
gender. However, some areas are still limited with preference being shown to men in the
fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Although women now earn more than
half of all bachelor’s and master’s degrees, these systemic factors have created a long-term,
ongoing battle for equal educational opportunity and financial pay equality, including wage
equality and equality in student financial aid awards.
Data on the positive impact of higher education for women shows that higher
education increases economic independence, improves child health outcomes, and boosts
overall economic, social, and political influence through social programs and changes in
legislation. “Rising levels of education improve women's productivity in the home which in
turn can increase family health, child survival, and the investment in children's human
capital” (Hill & King, 1995, p. 21). “The social benefits from women's education range
from fostering economic growth to extending the average life expectancy in the population,
to improving the functioning of political processes” (Hill & King, 1995, p. 21). In the
United States, women have had to shift from fighting for access to education to dealing with
the modern “double burden” of balancing professional education/work with traditional social
expectations. The American workforce needs to find a way to compensate, or at a minimum,
not discriminate for these contributions. By revisiting the historical struggle and

demonstrating the success of educating women, this can further strategies to foster equity in
academic fields, close the pay gap, and suggest programs to assist in work-life balance.
The history of women's education in the United States suggests that education can
widen or narrow the economic and status gap between the sexes, and that women's efforts to
influence education, especially through organized feminism, have been instrumental in
determining which it will do. Quality education challenges traditional gender roles and
discrimination and improves girls’ ability to choose their own future. The gender pay gap
contributes to lower economic production and increased dependency on social programs such
as welfare. “While women have made gains in employment and in access to higher wages,
the welfare system has expanded the potential for women to become economic dependents of
the state, which continues to view women as primarily mothers and carers” resulting in
“public patriarchy” (Howson, 2021, p. 7) “Understanding the role of women’s subordination
within the family is crucial to understanding their relative inequality within the public
sphere” (Howson, 2021, p. 7)
Educational systems in the past have reinforced and even forced traditional gender
roles through the specific curricula offered to women and through the exclusion of women
from traditional male schools of higher and professional education. Even today, with
“equality on paper,” women are less represented in STEM fields of study, compensated less,
and owe more for their education. Women make up the majority of college students, yet with
lower financial aid awards to pay for that education, lower salaries after graduation even in
equal fields, and more financial responsibilities with children and family, women have a more
difficult time paying back student loans (Whinnery, 2017). Although women have made
significant advancements in education, full gender equality in certain fields, compensation,

scholarships, grants, and social programs are lacking. Fully recognizing and compensating
women’s academic abilities and achievements will advance the cause of women in the future
of education in all fields and bring women’s issues and viewpoints into the political arena and
social movements. This endeavor will fight discrimination and dismantle patriarchal norms
in the United States.
Women are more likely to be independent—that is, on their own, juggling work,
caretaking of children or parents, and attending school, all at the same time. Some states are
enacting legislation to address “direct financial support” as well as “financial assistance for
child care, housing or job search related costs” (Whinnery, 2017, pp. 3-4). “Government-
supported childcare has been proposed as one way of increasing labor force participation by
women” due to the fact that women tend to “take long breaks or permanently exit the
workforce due to childcare responsibilities” (Pallardy, 2020, p. 9). “The United States has
incredibly short mandatory leave periods for women who bear children in contrast to other
developed countries. And, unlike many countries, there is no legal mandate for paid leave”
(Pallardy, 2020, p. 9).
To overcome the barriers in STEM fields, women need to develop confidence,
document achievements, understand, recognize and confront bias, seek out female role
models and mentors and build strategic networks, leverage external resources and demand
equitable policies. Implementation of targeted school programs and mentorship programs
“that illustrate to women the benefit of pursuing higher-paying occupations, particularly,
STEM and business education initiatives, may encourage girls to consider these careers”
(Pallardy, 2020, p. 9).
Culturally, the United States must stop the devaluation of professions that women

occupy (Mandel, 2018). Government, employers, and unions must enact and enforce
legislation that ensures women in feminized sectors such as nursing and teaching, are paid the
same as men in male-dominated sectors such as technology and science when the jobs require
equivalent education or skill sets (Grech, 2025). Employers and unions should be required
to develop plans and conduct audits to ensure that work of equal value is compensated
comparatively (Grech, 2025). Employers should be banned from asking about previous
salaries of prospective job candidates. This creates a salary ceiling for women (Grech, 2025).
Strengthening the rights of workers in female dominated care professions to collectively
bargain for coordinated wage regulation across all sectors will provide occupational and wage
transparency (Grech, 2025). Occupational feminization often occurs because skills such as
those associated with empathy, caring, and even organization are aligned with women and
considered natural not professional skills. Performance evaluations should be realigned to
reward, compensate and professionalize these skills (Grech, 2025).
The United States needs to develop inclusive, bias-aware hiring practices. “Perhaps,
most importantly, wage transparency allows all workers to assess the worth of their labor and
compare it to that of their cohort. Disclosure of wages across the board will likely facilitate
the equalization of wages for the same work” (Pallardy, 2020, p. 9).
Addressing the gender pay gap by promoting pay transparency, supporting women’s
career advancement, promoting “equal pay for work of equal value,” and implementing
equitable leave policies need to be addressed in the American workforce (Grech, 2025, p. 5).
Increased pay in female-dominated fields would reduce poverty and increase economic
security. In American society, women are more likely to be single breadwinners. Research
indicates that fair compensation would reduce poverty for single mothers by 50% (“Six

Reasons,” 2009). Also, considering that Social Security and pensions are based on salary,
lower pay results in women suffering compounded penalties in retirement savings (“Six
Reasons,” 2009). Also, arguments for increasing compensation for women in human services
positions, such as teaching, nursing, and social work, warrants consideration. These
industries are disproportionately female dominated, yet often pay lower wages as compared
to male-dominated fields that require similar education levels (Grech, 2025).
Equal pay for work of equal value, as defined by the ILO Equal Remuneration
Convention, means that all workers are entitled to receive equal remuneration not
only for identical tasks but also for different work considered of equal value. This
distinction is crucial because jobs held by women and men may involve varying
qualifications, skills, responsibilities, or working conditions, yet hold equal value and
warrant equal pay….It is also important to recognize that remuneration is more than a
basic wage; it encompasses all the elements of earnings. This includes overtime pay,
bonuses, travel allowances, company shares, insurance, and other benefits (Grech,
2025, p.2).
To resolve the gender pay gap requires legislators, trade unions, and employers to recognize
and compensate for the value of work in all professions. “Women must be involved in
employer and union leadership, enabling legislation that establishes comprehensive
frameworks for gender equality in the workplace” (Grech, 2025, p. 5). “‘Women deserve
equal pay for work of equal value’” (Grech, 2025, p. 5).
The education of women has fundamentally changed the role, status, and
opportunities for women in American society, acting as a catalyst for both personal and
societal transformation. When women can fully participate in society, politics and the

economy, educated girls and women reshape gender roles and advocate for their own rights
and the rights of other women. The history of women's education in the United States also
suggests that, although educational change can lessen gender inequality, it cannot eliminate it
without radical supporting changes in the home, in the workplace, and in political and social
ideologies.

References

Grech, V. (2025). Everything you need to know about pushing for pay equity. (2025,
September 18). UN Women.
https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/explainer/everything-you-need-to-know-about-
pushing-for-pay-equity
Hill, A. & King, E. (1995). Women’s education and economic well-being. Feminist
Economics 1(2), 1995, 21-46.
Howson, A. (2021). Feminist theories of the family. Retrieved from EBSCO.
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/women-s-studies-and-feminism/feminist-
theories-family
Mandel, H. (2018). A second look at the process of occupational feminization and pay
reduction in occupations. Demography, 55(2): 669-690. doi.org
Pallardy, R. (2020, November 6). Gender Disparities in student loan debt. Saving for College.
https://www.savingforcollege.com/article/gender-disparities-in-student-loan-
debt#:~:text=Women%20hold%20two%2Dthirds%20of%20the%20student%20loan,t
o%20pay%20off%20their%20debt%20than%20men
Six reasons why equal pay is still important. (2009). The center for American progress
(CAP). 2009, January 15. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/six-reasons-why-
equal-pay-is-still-important/

Whinnery, E. (2017, July 1). Supporting women in higher education through equitable financial
aid support. Education Commission of the States. https://www.ecs.org/supporting-
women-in-higher-education-through-equitable-financial-aid-
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