A new report suggests the gender wage gap also increases with age

stock-photo-digital-composite-of-woman-l-2279858-247175-editedEmployees who return to work after a year or more make 7 percent less than workers who remained employed during the same time period — which a new report says may disproportionately affect pay rates for women, who often leave the workforce more often and for longer periods than men.

The report also found as employees progress through their career, men are far more likely to advance to executive positions than their female counterparts.

By mid-career, they are 70 percent more likely to be in executive positions than women. By the late stages of their career, men are 142 percent more likely to be in a vice president or C-suite role, which are generally some of the most highly compensated positions within a company.

Across the entire labor market, women earn 77.9 cents for every dollar men earn — a gender wage gap that increases with age. The typical 20- to 29-year-old woman earns 81.8 cents on the dollar compared to her male counterparts; the gap widens to 76.7 cents for women aged 30-44 and 69.1 cents for those 45 and older.

However, when factors such as experience, industry and job level are taken into account, overall, women earn 97.8 cents on the dollar compared to what their male peers earn for doing the same work.

For more on PayScale, Inc.’s research, view this information about the organization’s gender wage gap report.