The BBC employs nearly twice as many men as women in its most senior roles, and pays them an average salary 10% higher than their female counterparts, new figures have revealed.

A response to a Freedom of Information request made by Broadcast shows that the corporation employs 82 men in its top senior management (SM1) grade, compared with 42 women.

Within this grade, men earn an average salary of £165,000, compared with just over £148,000 for women, a difference of more than £16,500, or around 10%.

At the grade below, SM2, salaries average out at just over £99,000 for both sexes. But men still outnumber women by 2:1, with 223 male members of staff compared with 111 female.

There are some employment grades in which women outnumber and out-earn men, but on average the gender pay gap leaves women out of pocket by nearly £5,000 across the board: women at the BBC earn an average of £37,100 a year, compared with £41,800 for men.

In total, the BBC employs 11,135 full- and part-time female staff, compared with 11,609 men. However, women are more heavily represented in grades 2-7, where they account for more than 60% of the workforce, than management levels, where they make up 36%.

A BBC spokeswoman said recruitment took place on merit alone: “Pay is determined individually based on a range of factors including grade, role and responsibilities. It is never dependent on gender.”

She added: “Female representation at senior management level has risen, and board-level representation is good – 42% of BBC executive board members are female, compared with 26% in the wider media industry.”