Economists often consider a portion of the pay gap to be explained, yet not all of the gap can be “explained away.” After accounting for college major, occupation, economic sector, hours worked, months unemployed since graduation, GPA, type of undergraduate institution, institution
selectivity, age, geographical region, and marital status, Graduating to a Pay
Gap found that a 7 percent difference in the earnings of male and female college graduates one year after graduation was still unexplained. Similarly, Behind the Pay Gap found a 12 percent unexplained difference in earnings among full-time workers 10 years after college graduation.