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A new study of federal government data by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research suggests that so-called middle-skill jobs—a sector that few have examined—may play some roll in the gap. The researches found that women hold only a third of these positions, which pay between $35,000 and $102,000 a year.
“These jobs provide options, pathways to decent earnings without needing a full university degree,” study co-author and IWPR Program Director Employment & Earnings Ariane Hegewisch tells Fortune . Such jobs as welders, car mechanics, and IT support staff not only can provide better pay, but according to Hegewisch, federal data shows that employer demand for such positions is growing.