Now women in their 30s earning more than men: Full-time female workers staving off gender pay gap by having family later in life

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Women in their thirties are earning more than men for the first time on record, new figures show.

In recent years, full-time female workers have earned higher hourly wages than men in their 20s, but then suffer poorer pay in their 30s.

This gap then widens in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

But now, statistics show women are staving off the gender pay gap for longer by having a family later in life.

New figures show that female workers are now earning 0.2 per cent more than men aged 30 to 39 (file picture)

According to the Office for National Statistics, men earn more in their teenage years but then women are paid one per cent more between 22 and 29.

New figures show that female workers are also now earning 0.2 per cent more than men aged 30 to 39, after creeping marginally ahead.

But when they hit their 40s, women fall 14 per cent behind their male colleagues for hourly wages, a trend which continues until they retire.

The average age of mothers in England and Wales is now 30.1 compared to 29.8 two years ago meaning more women are having children well into their thirties.

Adam Memon, at the Centre for Policy Studies, said: ‘The fact that women are now earning more in their thirties may well be because they are having children later.

‘A great proportion of the gender gap has been about the ‘motherhood gap’, where women leave the labour market to have children and return perhaps in a different capacity or reduced wage.’

He said he expected the gender pay gap between men and women in their 40s and 50s should also narrow as a new generation of females who are ‘achieving their potential early in their professional careers’ reach middle age.

The gender pay gap has narrowed over the last year and is now 9.4 per cent compared to 10 per cent in 2013.

Minister for Women and Equalities Nicky Morgan (pictured) said: ‘I am delighted that the gender pay gap has reduced to its lowest point in history'

This is the lowest since records began but women continue to earn about £100 less than men every week.

Full-time women earn a median salary of £23,900 while men earn £29,400, the ONS said.

Academics said the fact that women in their thirties had overtaken men was also indicative of a new generation of empowered, highly educated women who were fighting the gender pay gap.

Women in their twenties and thirties are more likely to have attended university and embarked on professional careers than their mothers and grandmothers.

Minister for Women and Equalities Nicky Morgan said: ‘I am delighted that the gender pay gap has reduced to its lowest point in history.

‘However, there is more to be done and the Government will continue to work with industry to make sure it reduces even further.’

Petra Wilton, of the Chartered Management Institute, said: ‘It is great news that women in their 30s are now earning a little more than men across all roles.

‘However, women in senior management roles and those over 40 are still facing significant pay gaps.

‘The delay in this gap emerging can in part be attributed to the effect of women putting their careers first and delaying motherhood until they reach their 30s.

‘But it also shows that employers still have much more to do ensure that those valued women in their mid-careers are not missing out when they start a family, and have opportunities to continue to contribute through well-paid, quality professional roles.

‘Otherwise, they’ll find many of their most talented employees vote with their feet and leave.’

The ONS said: ‘The gap is negative for the 22-29 and 30-39 age groups, meaning that women earn on average more than men.

‘Thereafter, there is a relatively large positive gap.

‘This is likely to be connected with the fact that many women have children and take time out of the labour market.’

Thy said it was the first time on record that full-time women in their thirties earned higher hourly wages than men.