Gender and career progression at the Banco de España

This paper reviews evidence on gender differences in wages and career progression among employees of the Banco de España, using anonymized personnel records for 1987–2023. Raw wage gaps largely disappear once professional category and working hours are accounted for, and overall promotion rates show no gender difference. However, women face a negative gap in competitive calls for higher managerial posts, but not in direct appointments or vertical promotions, and they apply less often. If applicants are positively self-selected, the estimated gap is a lower bound. The findings suggest that gender stereotypes may penalize women who seek leadership on their own initiative, despite substantial overall progress.