The Gender Pay Gap Would Narrow From 78 Percent to 90 Percent If Just 10 Percent More Women Entered Male-Dominated High Paying Fields

From The New York Times, "Six Myths About Choosing a College Major" by Jeffrey J Selingo:

Women are now the clear majority on college campuses, making up 56 percent of students enrolled this fall. They are also more likely than men to graduate.

But when it comes to selecting a major, what women choose tends to segregate them into lower paying fields, such as education and social services, according to a report that Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce will publish later this year. Just look at some of the highest paying fields and the proportion of women who major in them: business economics (31 percent), chemical engineering (28 percent), computer science (20 percent), electrical engineering (10 percent), mechanical engineering (8 percent).
***Dr. [Anthony P.] Carnevale [director of the Georgetown center] wouldn’t speculate as to why women make their choices. But he notes that if the proportion of women in fields where men dominate increased by just 10 percent, the gender pay gap would narrow considerably from 78 cents paid to women for every dollar men receive to 90 cents for every dollar men receive. [Emphasis added.]