Buzzword: Pay gap

A financial battle of the sexes brings us this week’s Marketplace Money buzzword: Pay gap.

Pay gap refers to the wage difference between men and women. A recent study revealed the makings of that dollar divide: Women earn less, even if they earn a college degree. A year after graduation, female workers make 80 percent of what men make. And it only gets worse as they climb the career ladder. Ten years after graduation, women banked only 69 percent.

Researchers say one way to close the gap in pay is to be a tougher salary negotiator. OK, so here it goes: “Marketplace, show me the money!”