Why might wages differ across occupations?

• A. Because occupations differ in required skills, education, productivity, working conditions, and the supply and demand for labor, causing wages to vary.
• B. Because wages are essentially equal across occupations in competitive markets, with only temporary differences that quickly disappear.
• C. Because governments or unions fix wages for each occupation so wages do not reflect productivity or labor market conditions.
• D. Because worker preferences alone determine wages, with workers accepting lower pay for non‑monetary job attributes rather than market differences.

Answer: (A)