KEY POINTS:
More New Zealanders are becoming qualified, figures show - and with more education comes a higher pay cheque.
But the latest Statistics NZ analysis of 2006 Census education and training data, released yesterday, confirmed the pay gap between men and women still exists, with the median personal income of men higher than that of women at all levels of education.
It listed the median annual income of men with no qualifications almost $8000 higher than women's.
For men with a school qualification the difference rose to almost $10,000, and at a post-school qualification level it was $14,000 higher.
The figures included income from all sources for people aged 15 and over.
It comes despite women having conquered many of the uppermost roles in politics, business and the law in New Zealand, and amid a long-running narrowing of the gender pay gap. A trend for more women to work part-time is often cited as a reason behind the pay gap.
Women in Technology founder Carol Lee Andersen told the Herald she heard of the pay differential often but believed it was getting better.
A director of three human resources companies, she said men tended to be better than women at negotiating conditions.
"We are trying to educate people on being really clear about what they are asking for and, when they go to reviews, be prepared," she said.
But Auckland women tended to be more forthright in asking for what they wanted.
The analysis of Census data showed the country's commercial hubs had the highest proportion of adults with a bachelors degree - 15 per cent in Wellington and 14 per cent in Auckland.
Meanwhile, just 5 per cent of West Coasters aged 15 and above had a bachelors degree - and 36 per cent were not qualified at all.
Nationally, 5 per cent of people aged 15 and over had a higher degree, such as a post-graduate diploma, masters degree or PhD.
EDUCATION STAKES
The proportion of people aged 15 years and over who have at least a school qualification:
* 1996 - 62%
* 2001 - 72%
* 2006 - 75%
Source: Statistics NZ
