Darker, shorter immigrants paid less, study says

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Ricard Morin

Washington Post

WASHINGTON - When it comes to immigrants, apparently you can't be too tall or too white.

Vanderbilt University economist Joni Hersch found that legal immigrants to the United States who had darker complexions or were shorter earned less money than their fair-skinned or taller counterparts with similar jobs, training and backgrounds. Even swarthy whites from abroad earned less than those with lighter skin.

Immigrants with the lightest complexions earned, on average, about 8 to 15 percent more than those with the darkest skin tone after controlling for race and country of origin as well as for other factors related to earnings, including occupation, education, language skills, work history, type of visa and whether they were married to a U.S. citizen.

In fact, Hersch estimated that the negative impact of skin tone on earnings was equal to the benefit of education, with a particularly dark complexion virtually wiping out the advantage of education on earnings.

Taller immigrants also earned more, she found, with every extra inch worth about 1 percent in earnings.

Hersch based her results on 2,084 men and women who participated in face-to-face interviews for the federally funded 2003 New Immigrant Survey. All of the respondents had been admitted to lawful permanent resident status during the seven-month period, May to November 2003. As part of the survey, interviewers also rated the skin tone of each individual on an 11-point scale ranging from zero to 10, with 10 representing the darkest possible skin color and zero the absence of color, or albinism.

Why should pale people earn more? "I don't think that any explanation other than discrimination is possible - and I am not one to draw such inferences lightly," Hersch said in an e-mail. "I am stunned by the strength and consistency of the findings, even controlling for race, even controlling for nationality, and ... everything that could possibly matter."

[StarProg 0]

And of course, women earn less than men in this country. Years ago when I was in charge of hiring computer programmers for my company, I based their wage on their ability and nothing else. But I guess the rest of the country doesn't work that way. Discrimination? Seems to be.

[mawilson 2,133]

When I hear that tall people earn more money (which is also true of white non-immigrants),

could it be simply because they've been looked up to by others their whole lives and

therefore are more confident and comfortable with being a leader than short people?

[peejay 327]

Is this yet another example of why America is so evil?

It kind of makes one wonder why if this place is so f*cked up that fences, border guards, desert, etc. can't keep "em out. Heck, we even throw them out and they come right back.

There must be something to that? Right?

[Delhiguy 0]

Jesus Christ! As a non-American, I am sorry if this hurts anyone, but this really shows how a lot of Americans are hung up on how a person looks, I mean, I really don't see how that effects a person's ability in almost all jobs.

Thankfully, I am tall enough (6 feet) to believe that at least I won't face half of the problem once I reach there......But I guess this is just one of the cons of living in the US, there are many in each country....

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Aah, so not only am I member of a sub-species but now I know why I'm paid so little

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Aah, so not only am I member of a sub-species but now I know why I'm paid so little

...yeah, but int the eyes of every goblin like creature, you are a king.

[Alex+R 0]

Aah, so not only am I member of a sub-species but now I know why I'm paid so little

...yeah, but int the eyes of every goblin like creature, you are a king.

:lol:

(that is all)

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

Aah, so not only am I member of a sub-species but now I know why I'm paid so little

I think it is a part of the mindset. I have an example that is two hours old. My coworkers and I were checking out of the Hilton and there was a girl there trying to convince us to become members of something or the other; you can stay two nights and use the spa and all you have to do is listen to some spiel/pitch for 90 minutes.

After we declined and walked away, one of my male coworkers said "that's dumb! Having her up front selling stuff. With that beak on her who will buy anything??!!!" Now I thought the girl was neat and nicely dressed and was nice looking enough. All he saw was her "big nose." She probably does her job well, but all he saw was her nose.

Thank God that is not true in my case. I am short- 5'4", I am foreign-born, I have brown skin and brown eyes and I am also not skinny like some of my co-workers, but I have a great job where I deal with very high profile clients a lot ... face to face; they occasionally take me to lunch and dinner without my boss or other coworkers. Unless it has been behind my back, a client has never disrespected me because of my appearance. And I THINK my salary is commensurate with the market rate. I defy the findings I guess, but then I could be the "exception that confirms the rule." But then yet again, I am very pretty, incredibly well-bred and charming, so why should being "short and dark matter??!!"

Edited October 19, 2006 by Elizabethnhenry

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Thank God that is not true in my case. I am short- 5'4", I am foreign-born, I have brown skin and brown eyes and I am also not skinny like some of my co-workers, but I have a great job where I deal with very high profile clients a lot ... face to face; they occasionally take me to lunch and dinner without my boss or other coworkers. Unless it has been behind my back, a client has never disrespected me because of my appearance. And I THINK my salary is commensurate with the market rate. I defy the findings I guess, but then I could be the "exception that confirms the rule." But then yet again, I am very pretty, incredibly well-bred and charming, so why should being "short and dark matter??!!"

You're female and you're "very pretty"... that beats all.

[Mirorgate 0]

what about short light-skinned immigrant women? where are those results?

[pedroh 21]

Is this yet another example of why America is so evil?

It kind of makes one wonder why if this place is so f*cked up that fences, border guards, desert, etc. can't keep "em out. Heck, we even throw them out and they come right back.

There must be something to that? Right?

yea peejay, as usual... illegal immigration affects the pay of short brown legal immigrants.. and allows for the taller ones to be payed more..

[Alex+R 0]

After we declined and walked away, one of my male coworkers said "that's dumb! Having her up front selling stuff. With that beak on her who will buy anything??!!!" Now I thought the girl was neat and nicely dressed and was nice looking enough. All he saw was her "big nose." She probably does her job well, but all he saw was her nose.

O.M.G.

[Ban Hammer 13,821]

After we declined and walked away, one of my male coworkers said "that's dumb! Having her up front selling stuff. With that beak on her who will buy anything??!!!" Now I thought the girl was neat and nicely dressed and was nice looking enough. All he saw was her "big nose." She probably does her job well, but all he saw was her nose.

O.M.G.

for some reason your name came to mind when i read that

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

Thank God that is not true in my case. I am short- 5'4", I am foreign-born, I have brown skin and brown eyes and I am also not skinny like some of my co-workers, but I have a great job where I deal with very high profile clients a lot ... face to face; they occasionally take me to lunch and dinner without my boss or other coworkers. Unless it has been behind my back, a client has never disrespected me because of my appearance. And I THINK my salary is commensurate with the market rate. I defy the findings I guess, but then I could be the "exception that confirms the rule." But then yet again, I am very pretty, incredibly well-bred and charming, so why should being "short and dark matter??!!"

You're female and you're "very pretty"... that beats all.

Hey!! Why you put very pretty in quotes...you quoting me or you saying I am not really very pretty!???