Diferencias salariales entre individuos con formación STEM y no STEM

Abstract

Abstract: With the changes brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the labor market is increasingly requiring professionals with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) training. As the supply of these profiles remains limited, their salaries are increasing compared to others due to the specific skills they provide. In this context, this research seeks to determine the salary gaps between individuals with STEM training and those without, within the Ecuadorian labor market, using data from the ENEMDU 2023 and applying an extended version of the Oaxaca-Blinder salary decomposition method. The results show that, only in the private sector, individuals with STEM training receive higher salaries than non-STEM professionals, a difference explained by factors such as gender and region, with no evidence of discrimination. It was also determined that, in the public sector, observable factors such as region and educational level explain why men with STEM training earn more than women with STEM training. These findings highlight the need to implement educational and gender equity policies that promote training in areas with high labor demand.