‘Male accountants and bankers expect a third more money than women’

Also revealed was that the average working woman expects to earn 20 per cent less than a man in the same job as her.

The report, published by online recruitment specialist Reed.co.uk on Equal Pay Day, showed men working as qualified accountants expect an average salary of £47,034 – almost £11,000 more than women in the same role.

Meanwhile, men in banking expect to be paid £25,400 per year compared to women who expect to earn £20,800.

Males who work in the energy industry earn £27,500, a fifth more than their female counterparts who expect to take home just £22,674 a year.

The report also revealed that the pay gap between the sexes has widened by two per cent compared to last year, with the anticipated average annual salary for men in 2014 hitting £23,763 whilst that for women trailed behind at £19,858.

Lynn Cahillane, spokeswoman for Reed, said: “Our latest research shows a major difference in the pay expectations of men and women, with men demanding, on average, £3,905 more than women – a gap of 20 per cent.

“The figures also reveal a stark contrast of what UK men and women expect to get paid and what’s actually on offer.

“If you’re happy in your current job but feel you’re not getting paid enough, it’s time to take on one of the tougher tasks we all face whilst in employment – negotiating a pay rise.”

Other industries with a marked gender pay difference included purchasing, sales and education.

However, some industries, including IT and security, found women’s expectations outperformed men, salary-wise, but by a far lower proportion of two per cent.