Women Ask for Raises, Promotions as Often as Men, but Receive Less: Study

However, while the study found there was no significant difference in the proportion of high-potential men and women who asked for increased compensation or a promotion after they moved on from their first post-MBA job, the rewards were vastly different.

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In fact, women who either initiated such conversations or changed jobs experienced a slower rate of compensation growth compared to women who stayed at their original position. Meanwhile, men who changed companies or negotiated for higher salaries ultimately earned more than those who stayed put at their first job.

"It has long been argued that 'women don't ask,'" the report states. "We found little evidence to support this claim when considering career advancement strategies that rely on asking for opportunities. Women were more likely than men to ask for a variety of skill-building experiences, to proactively seek training opportunities, and to make achievements visible, including asking for feedback and promotions."

Women Judged by Performance, Men by Potential

The results of the study are unsurprising to women's advocacy groups who have been fighting against the nation's formidable gender wage gap for decades. Terry O'Neill, the president of the National Organization for Women, told the International Business Times that the Catalyst study simply validated other reports that suggest the wage gap between men and women is rooted in discrimination.

"It is abundantly clear that women are treated differently than men in the workplace. There's a general feeling that it's okay to discriminate against women, or offer them less, because they won't do anything about it," she said.

While workers are often encouraged to look out for opportunities at other companies to increase their chances for advancement, the study suggests that women are paid for their proven performance, while men are compensated for their perceived potential. On average, Catalyst found that men who moved on to their second post-MBA employer earned about $13,743 more by 2008 than those stayed at their first job. Meanwhile, compensation growth for female job-hoppers (those that changed jobs two or more times following completion of their MBA) was approximately $53,400 less than those who stayed with their first employer.

The study also discovered differences in men and women's negotiating skills depending on how many jobs they held after receiving their degree. For instance, men were considerably more likely to counter their first job offer by asking for a higher salary -- 50 percent compared to 31 percent. But, among men and women who had moved on from their first position, 63 percent of women asked for higher pay, compared to 54 percent of men, indicating that women's negotiating skills improve considerably with experience.

In fact, the study authors offer another theory -- the problem is not that women don't ask, but that men don't have to.

"Are men being rewarded without even having to ask? Do women have to raise their hands and seek recognition to an even greater extent than men do to receive the same outcomes?" the report asks.