McGill University

Available Studies

• Masi, Anthony C. (2009) Administrative Response to the CASP Report on Academic Salary Differentials by Gender. McGill University.

• Masi, Anthony C. and White, Lydia. (2011) Update on the Administrative Response to the CASP Report on Academic Salary Differentials by Gender. McGill University.

• White, Lydia. (2013) Update on Gender Salary Differentials: Tenure Stream Academic Staff. McGill University.
• White, Lydia. (2015). McGill University Report on Employment Equity. McGill University.
• Campbell, Angela. (2016). Senate Open Discussion on Employment Equity at McGill. McGill University.
• Campbell, Angela. (2017) Employment Equity Biennial Report to Senate. McGill University.
• Campbell, Angela. (2019) Employment Equity Biennial Report to Senate. McGill University.
• Provost’s Working Group on Academic Salary Equity (2020). Final Report. McGill University.

McGill University has actively monitored gender pay inequities for several years and have implemented several polices to correct internal mechanisms that perpetuate inequities. As well, McGill University has an anomaly pool, that both men and women can access.

In 2000, the university conducted a study using regression analysis. Separate regressions were done for each faculty, using salary in dollars as the dependent variable and controlling for work experience, rank, and department. The study found statistically significant inequities within the faculties of Arts, Medicine, and Music ($5,654, $4,230, and $7,013).

Subsequently, the university conducted another study in 2010, again using regression. The same model from 2000 was then applied to 2006 and 2007 data, and the university found that gender was no longer statistically significant, with the exception of the Faculty of Medicine in 2006. Another model was specified using the log of salaries, rather than salaries in dollars, using OLS and median regression (which is robust to outliers). Gender was found to be statistically significant in the OLS regressions but not the median regressions. The conclusion was that a small number of highly paid men in the faculty were driving the OLS regression findings. Specifically, any pay inequities were found to be statistically insignificant once two controls were considered: an indicator specifying that the faculty member was recruited at the full professor level, and awards (CRCs, chair positions, and other awards).

Since 2009, McGill University has conducted biennial pay equity analyses. The analyses consist of cross-tabulations of member counts, salaries, distribution of retention monies, and departures by rank and gender. McGill University also measures gender differences in promotion rates by reporting mean years between gaining an associate rank position to a full professorship. T-tests are used to determine if gender differences are statistically significant. 

Subsequent reports also highlight the initiatives undertaken by university management to address pay inequities. Some initiatives mentioned in reports since 2009 include equity training programs, measures to diversify hiring pools, and the creation of a Senior Equity and Inclusion Officer. In 2015, the University also began to include analysis of salaries that considered additional designated groups (women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons), based on information collected from the University's Employment Equity Survey.

McGill University's pay equity report from 2017, shows that there is still a statistically significant difference between the average compensation and merit rating received by women and men Associate Professors. There also still exists statistically significant differences in the time of promotion from associate to full professor. 

The 2020 report, however, showed no significant differences between the salaries of men and women tenure-track and tenured academic staff, once controlling for key variables that affect salary, up to the 95th percentile of the earnings distribution. These key mediating variables include rank, rank at time of hire, years since PhD, Faculty affiliation, and whether or not one holds a research or endowed chair.

It also found no systemic inequities in the salaries of tenure-track and tenured academic staff who self-identify as persons who are racialized, Indigenous, disabled, or of minority sexual orientation/gender identity, once controlling for key variables that affect salary (same as above).

 It did find individual outliers which will be further studied and agreed to take measures to try to mitigate the impact of some variables that can exert an inequitable impact on women’s salaries such as length of time prior to applying for promotion to Full Professor.