The Gender Pay Gap

There are 1,037 men and 1,510 women included in the gender pay gap analysis: a total of 2,547 people. 

Table 1 shows the gender pay gap for 2024.

• Overall, the gender pay gap has decreased
• Mean pay gap has slightly decreased to 9.2% (9.4% → 9.2%)
• Median pay gap has slightly decreased by just over 1 percentage point to 13.7% (15.3% → 13.7%)

When benchmarked the University is 4.5 percentage points lower than the sector mean average of 13.7% but 4.5 percentage points higher than the sector median of 9.0%.

Table 1: Gender Pay Gap Between Men and Women, 2022-2024

The Student Employment Agency (SEA) is included in the calculations, but it is worth noting the impact SEA has on the data. If absent from the calculations, the mean would be 7.95% and the median would be 8.78%, putting the University below the mean and median sector benchmarks.

Bonus Payments by Gender

Table 2 shows the proportion of bonus payments for 2024 by gender.

• The overall number of bonus payments made in 2024 was higher than the previous year (94 →74)
• More women (3.8%) than men (2.5%) received a bonus payment
• The percentage of men receiving a bonus payment is consistent with the previous two years

Table 2: Proportions of Men and Women in Receipt of a Bonus Payment, 2022-2024

2024

2023

2022

Table 3 shows the bonus pay gap by gender.

• The mean bonus pay gap has widened with a notable difference from 2023 (10.9% → 45.71%). The significant change is a result of working with knowledge transfer partners (KTP), as bonus payments with KTPs can have a significant impact on the bonus pay gap data
• The median bonus pay gap is 0%. There was a 15 percentage point shift in the gap to zero

Table 3: Mean and Median Bonus Pay Gap Data by Gender, 2022-2024

Hourly Pay

Table 4 shows the average hourly pay for 2024 by gender. The hourly pay for both men and women has slightly increased in the last year.

• The mean hourly pay for women is £1.98 less than men
• The median hourly pay for women is £2.79 less than men. Distribution of gender through the pay quartiles shows that women are disproportionately represented in junior and lower paid roles (Quartile 1), which impacts on the median hourly rate for women

Table 4: The Mean and Median Hourly Pay by Gender, 2022-2024

2024

2023

2022

Pay Quartiles by Gender, 2024

Table 5 highlights the distribution of gender by pay quartiles for 2024. Quartile 1 represents the lowest paid roles and Quartile 4 reflects the highest paid.

• The percentage of women in Quartile 1 has remained the same (67.91% → 68.08%)
• The percentage of women in Quartile 4 has decreased by 2 percentage points (51.22% → 49.53%). This is the first time there are fewer women in Quartile 4 than men
• The gender balance within Quartile 2 and Quartile 3 is unchanged for men and women

The University has a higher female headcount, which contributes to greater numbers of women distributed through the pay quartiles. Activity to recruit more men into junior roles continues through attendance at recruitment fairs to showcase the range of opportunities available. In addition, greater use of diverse imagery and promotion of the gender decoder in building job vacancies aim to improve the gender balance in Quartile 1 and challenge the myths of gender stereotypes associated with job roles.

Similarly, the University undertakes a range of activity that spotlights the female pipeline. The Aurora Women in Leadership programme and Athena Swan, a framework for progressing gender equity, provide opportunities for female progression and ensure opportunities for women remain an institutional priority.

Table 5: Gender Pay by Quartiles, 2022-2024

2024

2023

2022