Professional Differentiation and Occupational Earnings

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Abstract
“Professional” and other occupational characteristics were selected as variables for predicting the earnings of occupational groups. The occupational position was the unit of analysis. The sample types ranged from commonly accepted professions to nonprofessions. Most variables represented functional and power views of professionalism. As anticipated by functional theorists of professionalism and stratification, task complexity and education were significant predictors of occupational earnings. In support of some power theorists, the data suggested also that some occupational groups derive additional earnings by influencing their degree of educational achievement. Several other conditional relationships supporting aspects of both perspectives were found.