UAE salaries: Female graduates in the UAE expect less money than men, study shows

Gender divide was revealed in the What About Youth? survey of about 11,000 students at 16 universities in Dubai’s Academic City

Experts said women need to speak up and ensure they received equal pay. Getty

Related: UAE salaries: Half of Emirati graduates 'expect Dh15,000 to Dh30,000 starting pay'

Female students in the UAE still expect lower salaries than their male peers, a study has revealed.

Almost 50 per cent of women said they expected to be paid below Dh5,000, yet only 40 per cent of men said they would accept salaries at this level.

The survey found that nearly one in four women were happy to be paid under Dh7,500 while 12 per cent men wanted starting salaries between Dh10,000 and Dh15,000.

The divide was revealed in the What About Youth? survey of about 11,000 students at 16 universities in Dubai's Academic City, including Heriot-Watt, Middlesex and Wollongong.

Of those polled, 52 per cent were Emirati, 31 per cent were from Saudi Arabia and 17 per cent were UAE residents from other countries. About 43 per cent of respondents were women.

While the UAE has introduced legislation enshrining equal pay in the private sector, experts said the survey showed women underestimated their skills and still must speak up to ensure they were being paid the same.

Women need to boost their confidence and not be afraid to ask for the same salaries

"It will take time to bridge this gender gap," said Marketa Simkova, partner at global professional services firm KPMG, which ran the survey with Dubai International Academic City, and the Talent Enterprise, a psychometric testing firm.

“Women need to boost their confidence and not be afraid to ask for the same salaries their male colleagues get."

The findings mirror trends globally with a gender pay gap estimated at 23 per cent. According to the United Nations, women earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn for work of equal value.

At this rate, it would take the next 257 years to close the global gender pay gap, the UN estimated.

The study also found that women were persisting with traditional job choices such as human resources, education and social and life sciences, with only eight per cent considering careers in finance and accounting. A mere four per cent picked robotics or information technology.

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Our guide to 14 sectors and the salaries on offer

TEACHER/LECTURER: The average salary in UAE is Dh9,000 with lows of Dh4,000 and highs of Dh21,000. Headteachers earn an average of Dh46,000 with highs of Dh75,000. University staff are typically well paid, with assistant professors and full lecturers earning between Dh20,000 and Dh40,000. AFP

FLIGHT CREW: Salaries for cabin crew and aircraft technicians range from Dh6,000 to Dh23,000. Pilots can usually secure between Dh20,000 to Dh60,000, depending on experience. EPA

FOOD AND DRINK: The average salary for a bartender, waiter or supervisor is Dh4,000 to Dh5,000, rising to Dh7,500 to Dh8,500 for managers. Chefs and head chefs can expect to take home between Dh6,000 to Dh38,000. Hotels often provide staff accommodation. Hollie Adams / Getty Images

ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING: A flooded market with basic accountants often earning Dh5,000 to Dh10,000. Senior auditors can earn Dh30,000 or more. Accountants who move into finance and management can expect significantly higher salaries. Getty Images

CONSTRUCTION: Engineering jobs have been hit hard by a downturn in the sector, but it remains a skilled and respected profession. Junior salaries for site inspectors and engineers begin at a few thousand dirhams, rising to Dh45,000 or more for construction managers. Gulf Talent says salaries in Saudi are higher than the UAE in some roles. Sammy Dallal / The National

NURSES: The true heroes of the pandemic, these professionals worked around the clock to treat patients and save lives. Salaries range between Dh4,000 to Dh14,500 and can be higher for senior nurses in higher-end private hospitals. AFP

HEALTH AND SAFETY: Health and safety has become a key priority. Junior roles in this sector can take home, on average, about Dh5,500 a month. That rises to Dh22,500 for managerial positions. Victor Besa / The National

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR: Non-medical staff are currently in demand as the role of managing patients, their documents, payment and test results is increasingly crucial. Salaries vary but can be in the same region as nurses. Reem Mohammed / The National

CYBERSECURITY: The threat posed by cybercrime has never been more real, with the sale of financial assets, documents and medical records a lucrative business. Systems analysts and software engineers can earn Dh25,000 or more, rising significantly for those with high-end cybersecurity experience. Unsplash

HR, MARKETING AND FINANCE: Senior roles in these managerial classes vary significantly, but are generally well paid and often come with performance-related bonuses. Gulf Talent lists HR manager and HR business partner salaries at up to Dh42,500. An HR director of a major firm can earn twice that. Getty Images

SALES AND MERCHANDISING: As the economy slowly picks up, the retail sector will be looking to fill key roles again soon. Gulf Talent lists sales staff salaries from Dh1,500 to Dh3,500. A sales merchandiser can take home twice that each month. Paulo Vecina / The National

HOTELS: A duty manager at a hotel can earn anywhere from Dh6,000 to Dh26,000 per month. Front of house staff, including concierge, can take take home between Dh1,500 to Dh9,000. Staff accommodation is typically provided. Sarah Dea / The National

LEGAL: Lawyers and legal advisors can earn between Dh7,500 to Dh37,500. That rises to more than Dh53,000 for legal counsel positions, though the average sits at about Dh20,500. Jeff Topping / The National

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION: Jobseekers for secretarial and receptionist roles can expect salaries ranging from Dh2,500 to Dh8,000. Personal assistants and office managers fare better, from Dh4,500 up to Dh22,500 for higher-end firms. Getty Images

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Ms Simkova said women were under the misconception that these fields were difficult.

She said employers needed to reassess how they marketed themselves to women.

“Women need to be encouraged into different fields of work like entrepreneurship," said Ms Simkova.

Only eight per cent of women surveyed said they would consider entrepreneurship compared with 18 per cent of men.

Radhika Punshi, managing director of the Talent Enterprise, said women often underestimated their skills and experience.

“If men feel they have five out of ten skills required in a job they apply for it, but a woman will wait till she has eight or more of the required skills before applying for a job," said Ms Punshi.

"On paper, there is no skill difference [between men and women] but it’s just about creating awareness.

“Women tend to get into some careers because of family or traditions.

“From the time they are at school, we need to get women interested in careers in science and technology."

She advised women to try entrepreneurship and to network and said women needed to boost their self-confidence.

The study also recommended giving incentives to women to participate in entrepreneurship initiatives.