About 125 political, business and nonprofit leaders are expected to gather this morning at the Kauffman Foundation to hear that a gender wage gap is pulling the area down.

After an 18-month study, the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City has produced two reports that detail the lack of economic self sufficiency for many women in the eight-county metro area.

The report, based on Census data, found that men in the area have higher median earnings than women no matter what occupational category or educational level is involved.

“This type of wage gap exists across the country, at state and community levels, but what was especially worrisome about our research was that the gap appears to be growing over time,” said Margo Quiriconi, one of the principal investigators on the report.

Also worrisome, said fellow investigator Jody Brook, is that “we have an education problem in Kansas City. One-fourth of women have only high school or less. And only one-fourth have at least bachelor’s degrees.”

Dawn Oliver, executive director of the Women’s Foundation, said the reports were parts one and two in a series, with part three coming in January. The first two reports present quantitative and qualitative pictures of the economic status of women.

“The third will be an action agenda for educational institutions, employers and the social service community to address the problems,” Oliver said.