Although vast, most research on gender earnings gaps uses cross-sectional data for year-round full-time workers; therefore, little is known about the dynamics of gender inequality in lifetime earnings. To address this lacuna, this article analyzes data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from 1968 to 2017, to investigate the extent, trends and explanations of gender inequality in lifetime earnings both within and across five birth cohorts born between 1930 and 1979. I find that the lifetime gap sharply declined until the 1960s birth cohort, with little change thereafter. Unpacking trends throughout the lifecycle shows that this stalled gender convergence is driven by increasing gender earnings inequality throughout the prime working years of those born in the 1960s and 1970s. Decomposition of the lifetime earnings gap further reveals that gender differences in the number of hours worked throughout one’s working life is a more important factor for younger rather than older generations—despite gender convergence in lifetime labor force attachment across cohorts. On the other hand, gender inequality in stop-outs during early career has become a less relevant factor in explaining earnings differences for younger generations. These findings draw attention to the value of examining gender inequality as a cumulative long-term process.

中文翻译：

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终身收入中的性别不平等

尽管规模庞大，但大多数关于性别收入差距的研究都使用了全年全职工人的横截面数据；因此，人们对终身收入中性别不平等的动态知之甚少。为了解决这一缺陷，本文分析了 1968 年至 2017 年收入动态小组研究的数据，以调查 1930 年至 1979 年间出生的五个出生队列内部和之间的终身收入性别不平等的程度、趋势和解释。我发现直到 1960 年代出生队列，终生差距急剧下降，此后几乎没有变化。剖析整个生命周期的趋势表明，这种停滞不前的性别融合是由 1960 年代和 1970 年代出生的人在黄金工作年限内不断加剧的性别收入不平等推动的。对终生收入差距的分解进一步表明，在一个人的整个工作生涯中，工作小时数的性别差异对年轻一代而不是老一代来说是一个更重要的因素——尽管不同群体之间终生劳动力依恋的性别趋同。另一方面，职业生涯早期中止中的性别不平等已成为解释年轻一代收入差异的一个不太相关的因素。这些发现提请注意将性别不平等视为一个长期累积过程的价值。职业生涯早期离职中的性别不平等已成为解释年轻一代收入差异的一个不太相关的因素。这些发现提请注意将性别不平等视为一个长期累积过程的价值。职业生涯早期离职中的性别不平等已成为解释年轻一代收入差异的一个不太相关的因素。这些发现提请注意将性别不平等视为一个长期累积过程的价值。