PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Murray, Seth
AU  - Sandler, Danielle H.
AU  - Staiger, Matthew
TI  - Female Executives and the Motherhood Penalty
AID  - 10.3368/jhr.0521-11673R1
DP  - 2025 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of Human Resources
PG  - 1706--1736
VI  - 60
IP  - 5
4099  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/60/5/1706.short
4100  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/60/5/1706.full
AB  - We use U.S. linked survey and administrative data to investigate whether the sex composition of a firm’s executives affects the earnings of new mothers. Our empirical strategy compares the earnings trajectories of new mothers to observably similar coworkers who did not give birth around that time. On average, mothers earn almost $2,000 less per quarter two years after birth, but the magnitude of these losses is unrelated to the female share of executives at the mothers’ employer. Our results suggest that increasing the representation of women in firms’ leadership positions will not reduce the motherhood penalty.