New analysis shows that the gender pay gap is growing at the majority of UK universities, prompting warnings of “national stagnation” in equality.

Women’s rights organisation the Fawcett Society has designated 22 November national Equal Pay Day for 2025 – when, on average, women would symbolically stop getting paid in comparison to men.

Analysis of official government data by 51�Թ� reveals that this day would come a lot earlier in the year for many universities in the UK.

The median gender pay gap at Leeds Conservatoire was 32 per cent for 2024-25. Although this was an improvement on 42 per cent last year, it remains the largest in the country.

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Female workers there earn 68p for every £1 that men earn and make up 30 per cent of employees in the highest paid quarter.

It was followed by the Arts University of Bournemouth (AUB), which had a 26 per cent gap, and the University of Buckingham (25 per cent).

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Fawcett Society chief executive Penny East told THE that it was disappointing to see so many universities struggle to make progress on closing their gender pay gaps, reflecting “national stagnation” on improving equality.

She urged universities to examine their policies and organisational culture and take a proactive approach to understanding the experiences of female employees – including bringing in external support when needed.

“Much of this will be unseen and unspoken; women still fear their careers will be derailed by speaking out about poor working practices.

“Healthy, thriving and inclusive universities are key to a functioning society; if women who work in these places are continually underpaid or overlooked for promotion, it won’t just impact those women, but the quality of the education provision and institutions more broadly.”

THE’s analysis includes more than 120 institutions from the providing undergraduate education in 2024-25, and excludes school trusts and further education colleges.

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Of those, 60 per cent failed to improve median gender pay equity in the past 12 months. Last year the opposite was true, with 59 per cent narrowing the gap.

Just five of the 20 members of the Russell Group included saw improvements in the last year. Of the group, Durham University has the largest median gender pay gap, which grew to 21 per cent last year, with women’s bonus pay 50 per cent lower than men.

Across the whole sector, the median pay gap for 2022-23 was unchanged from the year before at 9 per cent, according to the most recent .

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Jo Grady, general secretary of the University College Union, said the data confirms what women working in universities already know: the gender pay gap is far too big.

“Women are also more likely to face worse terms and conditions than their male counterparts, so universities’ addiction to low pay and insecure contracts exacerbates the problem. This is why we are balloting universities across the UK for strike action, and why vice-chancellors urgently need to address inequalities.”

A Buckingham spokesperson said: “We have undertaken measures to address the gender pay gap through initiatives including a promotions, progression and regrading process as well as various policy updates.”

AUB said its gender pay gap could be blamed partly on the creation of a large number of student ambassador roles, which are overwhelmingly occupied by women. Its data for 2025-26 shows the median pay gap has fallen to 18 per cent.

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Leeds Conservatoire was approached for comment.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com