The gendered pay gap in genetic counseling

A gendered pay gap in the genetic counseling profession has been identified in recent years, though reasons for its existence have not been explored in depth. The primary aim of this study was to determine what demographic characteristics and career experiences influence annual salary rates and which of those factors differ between male and female genetic counselors. The secondary aim of this study was to determine whether genetic counselors perceive a pay gap and to identify attitudes toward their salaries. Surveys were sent to the nearly 4,000 genetic counselors who are members of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), and we report results from 355 respondents. A significant interaction was found between gender and position (direct vs. non‐direct patient care). In the best‐fitting multiple regression model, male genetic counselors earned $23,736 more than females in non‐direct patient care roles (p