This research attempts to identify factors that influence wage and gender-related wage differentials across organizations. Specifically, the purpose was to investigate the role of ability to pay, willingness to pay, and organizational characteristics in wage determination and the development of gender-related wage differentials at the organizational level. The sample chosen for the study included 160 doctoral-granting, public universities across the United States. Average wages at three levels of full, associate and assistant professor ranks were examined. Results of the study indicate that ability to pay and willingness have a significant positive impact on wages across organizations. The organizational characteristics of size, geographic location and unionization also have a significant impact on wage determination. Results also indicate that even after accounting for the influence of ability and willingness to pay and organizational characteristics on wages, the percentage of women in the organization still has a significant negative effect on wages at all ranks, and on the wages of both men and women. Findings further suggest that there is a significant differential between the average wages of men and women both within and across the universities that is not accounted for by the structural characteristics of the organization. / Ph. D.