Barbie and The Ken-der Pay Gap.
Ever wondered how much would Career Barbie have made if she was a Ken doll instead?
With The Barbie Movie (and more so the Barbie marketing campaign) taking the world by storm, it’s no surprise that we at Minty, like all the other Greta Gerwig superfans – cannot WAIT for the 21st of July to come along and our worlds to turn magenta-pink for a while.
Unlike its predecessors, rumour has it that this film is set to take a fresh approach from the usual ‘life in plastic is fantastic’ narrative. Gerwig’s take on the classic addresses some of the more relatable aspects of everyday life with Barbie and Ken venturing on a journey of self-discovery in the real 21st-century world after being expelled from Utopia for being ‘less than perfect’.
And to add to more than just what the script says, this highly anticipated blockbuster has set Margot Robbie as the highest-paid actress of 2022, after it’s been reported her 12.5million dollar pay cheque for the movie will match that of her male counterpart, Gosling, which unfortunately, even in 2023 is still not all that common.
And so this got us thinking… With Barbie having over 200 careers in her lifetime, we wondered what the Ken-der pay gap, sorry, gender pay gap, looks like. Even if it is hypothetically within the four plastic walls of a dollhouse.
We’ve collected salaries from the Barbie careers listed in the movie and calculated what she may have gotten if only she was… well, born male. Shockingly we found that within the US males are being paid almost a fifth more (17% – BSL.GOV) than their female colleagues and across the pond, while the difference isn’t as prominent in the UK, a gap of 5.45% still exists (GOV.UK).
So without further ado and in the words of Aqua, come on Barbie, let’s go… get paid equally for the same job title??
Barbie and Her Ever-Growing List of Careers
Let’s take a closer look at Barbie’s top-paying jobs, along with their average salaries in the UK and the US.
Barbie and The Evergrowing List of Careers
Judge Barbie
First up, we have a Barbie who brings justice to the courtroom with style, intellect, and her signature gavel. Her career in this male-dominated industry is quite impressive and brings with it an equally impressive salary of £181,000 in the UK and $178,000 in the US. However, what’s not so impressive is that if Ken took the same job title he’d be looking at a salary of £190,864.50 and $208,260.00. We’re struggling to see the justice in this one.
Prime Minister / President Barbie
As a trailblazing leader, Prime Minister Barbie commands respect and tackles the complexities of governance. In the UK, Barbie earns an average salary of £80,000, while Ken’s salary would be £84,360.00, surpassing Barbie’s by £4,360.00. In the US, Barbie earns $400,000 as President Barbie, while Ken would make $468,000.00, resulting in a $68,000.00 difference. It’s time to bridge the gender gap in positions of power and influence!
Diplomat Barbie
Navigating international relations, this Diplomat Barbie plays a crucial role in fostering harmony. In the UK, Barbie earns an average salary of £57,000, while Ken’s salary would be £60,106.50, exceeding Barbie’s by £3,106.50. In the US, Barbie earns $187,000, but Ken would earn $218,790.00, leaving a $31,790.00 gap.
Lawyer Barbie
With a sharp mind and a fierce determination for justice, Lawyer Barbie commands an average salary of £55,500 in the UK. However, Ken’s salary would be £58,524.75, surpassing Barbie’s by £3,024.75. In the US, Barbie earns $103,000, but Ken would make $120,510.00, resulting in a $17,510.00 difference. This Barbie says it’s time to object to the gender pay gap in the legal world!
Doctor Barbie
With compassion and expertise, Doctor Barbie saves lives and inspires future medical professionals. In the UK, Barbie earns an average salary of £44,000, while Ken’s salary would be £46,398.00, leaving a difference of £2,398.00. In the US, Barbie earns $250,000, but Ken would make $292,500.00, resulting in a $42,500.00 difference. Doctor Barbie thinks it’s time to prescribe equal pay for equal care!
Physicist Barbie
Barbie’s brilliance shines as a physicist, unravelling the mysteries of the universe. In the UK, Barbie earns an average salary of £41,000, while Ken’s salary would be £43,234.50, exceeding Barbie’s by £2,234.50. In the US, Barbie earns $71,000, but Ken would make $83,070.00, leaving a $12,070.00 gap. Maybe it’s time to take a scientific exploration into the reasoning behind this difference…
Writer Barbie
With a pen in hand and boundless imagination, Writer Barbie tells captivating stories that inspire generations. In the UK, Barbie earns an average salary of £31,000, while Ken’s salary would be £32,689.50, surpassing Barbie’s by £1,689.50. In the US, Barbie earns $55,000, but Ken would make $64,350.00, resulting in a $9,350.00 difference. We hope her boundless imagination inspires a rewrite of the narrative on equal pay!
Journalist Barbie
As an intrepid journalist, Barbie uncovers important stories that shape our world. In the UK, similar to Writer Barbie, this Barbie earns an average salary of £31,000, while Ken’s salary would be £32,689.50, exceeding Barbie’s by £1,689.50. In the US, Barbie earns $40,000, but Ken would make $46,800.00, leaving a $6,800.00 gap. Us and Journalist Barbie both will be reporting on the gender pay gap until the headlines change.
Mermaid Barbie
Even in the enchanting underwater world, Mermaid Barbie makes waves with her mesmerizing presence. In the UK, Barbie earns an average salary of £21,000, while Ken’s salary would be £22,144.50, leaving a difference of £1,144.50. In the US, Barbie earns $26,000, but Ken would make $30,420.00, resulting in a $4,420.00 gap. It seems that the gender pay gap can even be felt beneath the waves.
Barbie says “Dream big”, but the numbers say “Keep dreaming”…
Surprisingly, Actor Barbie didn’t make the cut of top earners and while extremely topical surrounding this release and the pay cheques of the star-studded cast, the discrepancy doesn’t end in Hollywood. Female actors reportedly continue to earn a US$ 1.1 million less than male actors.
Our data unveiled a shocking truth: within the UK females working in the listed professions are collectively at a loss of £29,512 and in the US a whopping $222,700.
So while we eagerly await the release of the new pink-filled, romantic fantasy, we can use it to take a moment to reflect on the larger issues the Barbs on Earth face in reality.
Is equal gender pay really just a far-fetched dream in the imagination of Barbie Land?
“Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees” – Barbie Girl – Aqua
Calculate your Ken Salary
Use our Ken-der Pay Gap calculator to find out what you would be paid as a male in your industry based on the average gender pay gap in the UK/US.
UK
US
Methodology:
To identify the effect of the current gender pay gap on Barbie and her many careers, we first identified each of the job roles Barbie is featured in in the upcoming film.
Once we had a list of jobs, we used Glassdoor for the UK and Salary.com for the US (as well as other relevant sources where necessary) to identify the average salary of each role within both countries.
We then found the average gender pay gap percentage for both the UK (GOV.UK) and US (BLS.GOV) and added this proportion on top of the average salary, to indicate what Ken would potentially earn instead of Barbie.
