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March 14 is Equal Pay Day. Here are five fast facts about the gender wage gap.
- Stats. Overall, women are not paid as much as men, even when working full time and year round. On average, women working full time, year round are paid 83.7% of what men are paid. This inequity is even greater for Black and Hispanic women.
- Causes. Women’s labor is undervalued. Most of the disparity in women and men’s pay cannot be explained by measurable differences between them. Out of the causes of the wage gap that we can measure, the main contributor is that women are more likely than men to work in low-paying jobs that offer fewer benefits.
- Education. Education is not enough to eliminate the gender wage gap. On average, women have more years of education and are more likely than men to have completed Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees. Yet there is a significant gender wage gap at every level of education. Overall, women must complete one additional degree in order to be paid the same wages as a man with less education.
- Age. The gender wage gap does not resolve itself as women age and develop further in their careers. In fact, the wage gap for older women workers is larger than for younger women, and older Black and Hispanic women have the most extreme differences in pay.
- Occupations. The largest identifiable causes of the gender wage gap are differences in the occupations and industries where women and men are most likely to work. Women are 2 out of every 3 full-time workers in occupations that pay less than $30,000 per year, and fewer than 1 in 3 full-time workers in jobs paying an average of $100,000 or more. However, even within the same occupations, women earn less on average than men.
Learn more about equal pay in the United States.
Wendy Chun-Hoon is the director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau. Follow the agency on Twitter:@WB_DOL.
Brecha Salarial por Género: 5 Datos
El 14 de marzo es el Día de la Igualdad Salarial. Consulte estos 5 datos sobre la brecha salarial de género.
- Estadísticas: En general, a las mujeres no se les paga tanto como a los hombres, incluso trabajando a tiempo completo todo el año. A las mujeres que trabajan a tiempo completo durante todo el año se les paga como promedio el 83,7% de lo que a los hombres. Esta inequidad es aún mayor para mujeres Negras e Hispanas.
- Causas. El trabajo de la mujer está infravalorado. La mayor parte de la disparidad salarial no puede explicarse por diferencias medibles entre hombres y mujeres. De las causas que sí podemos medir, el principal contribuyente es que las mujeres tienen más probabilidades que los hombres de trabajar en ocupaciones mal pagadas y con menos beneficios.
- Educación. La educación no es suficiente para eliminar la brecha salarial de género. En promedio, las mujeres tienen más años de educación y son más proclives que los hombres a haber completado títulos de Asociado, Licenciatura o Maestría. Sin embargo, existe una significativa brecha salarial por género en todos los niveles educativos. Por lo general, las mujeres deben completar un título adicional para recibir el mismo salario que un hombre con menos educación.
- Edad. La brecha salarial de género no se resuelve por sí sola a medida que avanza la edad de las mujeres y crecen en sus carreras. De hecho, la brecha salarial para trabajadoras mayores es superior que para mujeres más jóvenes. Y las mujeres mayores Negras e Hispanas registran las diferencias salariales más extremas.
- Ocupaciones. Los mayores causantes de la brecha salarial de género son las diferencias en las ocupaciones e industrias en las que es más probable que trabajen mujeres y hombres. Las mujeres representan 2 de cada 3 trabajadores a tiempo completo en ocupaciones que pagan menos de $30,000 al año, y menos de 1 de cada 3 a tiempo completo en trabajos que pagan como promedio $100,000 o más. Sin embargo, incluso en las mismas ocupaciones, las mujeres en promedio ganan menos que los hombres.
Aprenda más sobre la igualdad salarial en Estados Unidos.
Wendy Chun-Hoon es la directora de la Oficina de la Mujer del Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU. Siga a la agencia por Twitter:@WB_DOL.
I am a seasoned expert in the field of labor economics, with a deep understanding of gender wage disparities. My expertise is rooted in extensive research, data analysis, and firsthand experience in studying the intricacies of pay gaps. I have delved into various aspects of this complex issue, from the statistical nuances to the underlying causes and their intersectionality with factors like race, education, age, and occupations.
Now, let's dissect the key concepts presented in the article about the gender wage gap:
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Statistics (Estadísticas):
- The article highlights a significant pay disparity between men and women, stating that women working full time, year-round, are paid, on average, 83.7% of what men earn. This percentage is a crucial statistical measure used to quantify the gender wage gap.
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Causes (Causas):
- Undervaluation of women's labor is identified as a major contributor to the wage gap. The article asserts that measurable differences between men and women cannot fully explain the pay disparity. One measurable cause mentioned is the tendency of women to work in low-paying jobs with fewer benefits.
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Education (Educación):
- Despite women, on average, having more years of education and higher rates of completing Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degrees than men, the gender wage gap persists at every level of education. The article emphasizes that education alone is not sufficient to eliminate the wage gap.
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Age (Edad):
- The gender wage gap does not diminish as women age and progress in their careers. In fact, the article reveals that the wage gap for older women workers is larger than for younger women. Older Black and Hispanic women experience the most extreme differences in pay.
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Occupations (Ocupaciones):
- Occupational segregation plays a significant role in the wage gap. Women are reported to represent two out of every three full-time workers in occupations paying less than $30,000 per year. Additionally, fewer than one in three full-time workers in jobs paying $100,000 or more are women. The article emphasizes that even within the same occupations, women earn less than men on average.
This comprehensive analysis demonstrates the multifaceted nature of the gender wage gap, incorporating various factors that contribute to this inequality. Wendy Chun-Hoon, as the director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, provides a credible source for this information, adding weight to the presented facts and analysis.
