Women on P.E.I. more likely than men to have higher education, but still earn less, stats show

Females make up more than half the population of P.E.I., live longer than males and are more likely to have obtained a higher education.

But they also make less money on average than males.

The information comes from the fourth edition of a statistical review of women on P.E.I., covering the years 2016-20. The review is updated every five years.

The review shows the average hourly wage rate for P.E.I. females in 2020 was $24.08, compared to $24.45 for males.

The median income for females in P.E.I. was $28,065, compared to $32,062 for males. The median incomes were lower for P.E.I.'s Indigenous population — $21,562 for females and $24,932 for males.

The average total income for females was $34,171, compared to $43,979 for males in P.E.I. The age gap was smaller for the Indigenous population, with females earning an average of $33,043, compared to $34,485 for males.

However, the overall average weekly wage rate for females working part-time was $283.91, while for males, the average rate was $235.45. 

The gender wage gap for full-time workers in P.E.I. — $46,855 for women and $55,726 for men — is smaller than in any of the other Atlantic provinces.

Highlights of the review

Here are some other highlights of the review:

• Females made up 50.8 per cent of the P.E.I. population.
• Females in P.E.I. live an average of 83.6 years, while males live an average of 79.6 years.
• The median age of females in P.E.I. was 44.2 years.
• 4.6 per cent of the female population in P.E.I. identified as a member of the visible minority population.
• Females made up 78.8 per cent of lone-parent families in P.E.I.  
• Females in P.E.I. were more likely than males to have obtained college, CEGEP, or other non-university certificates or diplomas, university certificates or diplomas below and above the bachelor level. 
• Females made up almost two-thirds of students enrolled at UPEI.  In the 2019-2020 academic year, females accounted for 78 per cent of registered students at Collège de l'Île. At Holland College, females were more likely to be enrolled in the fields of Health and Community Studies, Business, and Tourism. 
• Females make up 47 per cent of the workforce. 
• Women accounted for 15 per cent of total bed days at the province's two jails.
• Females have consistently made up at least 94 per cent of recipients of emergency protection orders.
• Seven of 27 — 25.9 per cent — of members of the P.E.I. Legislature are women, up from 18.5 per cent in 2015.
• Forty-eight per cent of individuals appointed to provincial agencies, boards, and commissions in 2020 were female. P.E.I.'s chief public health officer is a woman.

The province recognized the data used in the review is primarily limited to binary categories and does not reflect all individuals in society. It said as more data for diverse population groups becomes available, it will be included in future editions of the review.

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