Getting married may be the quickest way for a man to get a raise -- at least in Australia.
Queensland University researchers found married men earned up to 6 percent more than single men with similar jobs and equivalent levels of education and experience, reported the Sunday Telegraph.
A married man earned $9,700 more than an unattached man on a $171,000 annual salary, based on a survey of 1,300 men and women.
"Married men are more efficient and productive than single men because they have wives who can split the burden of home life which gives them more time to devote to work," said study co-author Belinda Hewitt.
However, while men may benefit by marriage when it comes to salary, any advantage a women gets from marriage is counter-balanced by the negative impact of motherhood.
"Becoming a mother doubles, even triples, the amount of time that would have to dedicate to the family home," said Hewitt. "This means work is always going to be a second priority, which is reflected in their salary."
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
