The average salary differential between male and female academics in B
ritain in 1992 exceeded 15%. Using individual data covering all full-t
ime academic staff in the old universities for the years 1975, 1985, a
nd 1992, we find that a significant part of the differential is explai
ned by the fact that women are under-represented in senior ranks. Howe
ver, even after controlling for rank, age, tenure, and faculty, a gend
er effect in the remuneration of British academics remains. Moreover,
neither the average salary-gap nor that part attributable to an indepe
ndent gender effect have fallen since 1975.