The gender wage gap is a measure of just how far our nation still has to go to ensure that women can participate fully and equally in our economy. Every state has a gender wage gap, and it persists regardless of industry and education level and within occupations. Across all workers in the United States in 2022, women were typically paid just 75 cents for every dollar paid to a man – adding up to a difference of $14,170 over the course of the year. The wage gap widened in 2023 from 2022 – the first time this has happened since 2003.
The wage gap is also widest for women of color. In 2023, white, non-Hispanic women were paid 73 cents; Black women 64 cents; Latina women 51 cents; Native American women 52 cents; and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women as little as 49 cents, as Bangladeshi women are; and overall just 80 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
On average, women employed in the United States lose a combined total of almost $1.7 trillion every year due to the wage gap. These lost wages mean women and their families have less money to support themselves, save and invest for the future, and spend on goods and services.
