Rich women often end up in jobs that people admire but don’t pay well, while rich men are more likely to chase after big paychecks, says a study from the University of Kent. It found that women from well-off families are 40% less likely than guys from the same background to land high-paying gigs. But both genders have an equal shot at jobs that get a lot of respect.

About 40% of well-off men and women are in good jobs by the time they’re 30. But men generally end up with better-paying gigs, like in business or finance, while women are more likely to go into jobs like teaching or creative stuff, which people think highly of but don’t pay as much.

Respectable jobs

The study suggests that even if rich families help their daughters get into respected jobs, guys still benefit more, scoring both respect and more money. This adds to the problem of women getting paid less, even when they come from wealthy families.

The study also points out how old-fashioned ideas about what jobs are “girly” or “manly” affect what people choose to do with their careers.

“This research shows that the experiences and career paths of those from top backgrounds are still very strongly gendered. This is likely due to a combination of the home environment and the labor market,” the researchers conclude.

“The sons and daughters of privileged families may be raised in subtly (and not-so-subtly) different ways, encouraging the development of straightforwardly economic aspirations for sons, but more creative, social, and family-oriented aspirations for daughters. These aspirations interact with a job market that still substantially disadvantages women.”