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Multiple Disadvantages? The Earnings of Asian Women Computer Scientists in the United States

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Abstract

This study examines the earnings of an under-researched group: Asian women in computer science, in the United States (U.S.). I distinguish three subsets of college-educated Asian female computer scientists working full time in the U.S.: 1) U.S.-born, U.S.-educated Asian Americans, 2) Asian-born, U.S.-educated Asian immigrants, and 3) Asian-born, Asian-educated Asian immigrants. Results from multivariate regression and quantile regressions (at the 10th,& 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles) show that U.S.- and Asian-educated Asian immigrant women earn less on average (at the mean level) and at the 10th, 50th, and/or 75th percentile levels than their white male counterparts. Only Asian American women do not earn less than their white male counterparts at any level. Further analysis reveals that Asian immigrant women earn less due to their gender, but not because of a combination of their gender and race. Neither the immigrant women’s birthplace or the origin of their degree further disadvantage their earnings. The lack of multiple disadvantages may be explained by white women earning less than expected, but not Asian immigrant women earning more than expected. Suggestions for further research are discussed.

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Keywords

Earnings, multiple disadvantages, double jeopardy, Asian women, immigrants, computer scientists

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Author Biography

Yu Tao

College of Arts and Letters

Assistant Professor of Sociology