“And it might be worse than imagined, it’s important to keep in mind, because the study reflects only women with household income of $50,000 or more; nearly 60% were employed, and three-quarters of them had advanced degrees.
Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research in Washington, who also spoke at the press briefing, said, “It is a survey of pretty much the top half of income distribution. The median household income for all families in 2008 was $50,000, and this survey was limited to those who make $50,000 or more. So if we see anything in this survey that’s negative—while we worry that women lack confidence and don’t have all the information they need—imagine what it’s like for women in the bottom half of the distribution. Those women are even more disadvantaged in terms of the information they have and the information they need.”