The Hidden Cost of IT Innovation: Access to Emerging Technologies and the Gender Wage Gap

Although an extensive information systems (IS) literature has explored the economic benefits of information technology (IT) investments, how these benefits are distributed between male and female IT workers has not been as closely examined. This paper bridges this gap by addressing two questions: (1) do women and men have similar opportunities to acquire skills related to new IT innovations, and (2) how do these differences affect the gender pay gap? We argue that women are underrepresented in roles that use emerging technologies due to two interrelated processes: demand-side labor market conditions and supply-side job sorting. By analyzing two independent datasets that provide insights into wages, career trajectories, and skill prerequisites for IT roles, we find that women are less likely to apply for jobs requiring expertise with emerging technologies. Such positions often require extended work hours, frequent job mobility, and geographic relocation—which can conflict with the family responsibilities typically assumed by women. Yet, because these positions tend to offer higher wages, women’s underrepresentation in these roles exacerbates the gender pay gap in the IT sector. Our findings stress the importance of creating more flexible job structures and enhancing women’s access to emerging technology roles as critical for achieving gender equity in the IT industry.