Gender pay gap between self-employed narrowed by 30% in 20 years

The pay gap between men and women who are principally self-employed has narrowed by 30% over the past 20 years, according to HR organisation Acerta, reports RTBF/Belga.

Despite this improvement, self-employed women earn on average €7,700 less per year than their male colleagues, revealed the statistics from the National Social Insurance Institute for the Self-Employed (INASTI).

The narrowing of the gender pay gap was visible in several sectors of activity, although there were variations. A closer look at the decreasing gap revealed the impact of the liberal professions in particular.

In this sector, the pay gap was reduced by 48.7%, from €19,781 (at the end of 2001) to €10,157 (at the end of 2021).

“Men who are self-employed as their main occupation have an average income of €32,012, while women have an average income of €24,342, a difference of over €7,700. The average for all self-employed workers as their main occupation is €29,462. However, there are significant differences between sectors: those who work in a liberal profession tend to earn more than those who work in retail or the hospitality industry," pointed out Ronan Kermer, an expert at Acerta on start-ups and the self-employed.

The explanation for the change in professional income between men and women is a "change in mentality," he added. “Doctors, lawyers, architects... not only are there more women, but men in liberal professions are more than ever seeking a work-life balance,” he said.

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