ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

The Gender Pay Gap

No matter how you analyze it, the gender pay gap is real, persistent and harmful to women’s financial well-being.

Get the Facts
Why It Matters

More Than a Paycheck

Women working full time in the U.S. are paid 84% of what men earn. At the current rate of change, we won’t achieve pay equality until 2088.Ìý

´¡´¡±«°Â’s r±ð±è´Ç°ù³Ù, The Simple Truth About the Gender Wage Gap, shows that a gap exists at all levels of work in almost every occupation. There is a gender pay gap in every state. It cuts across all age groups and demographics, widening significantly for women of color. The gap greets a woman as soon as she gets out of college and grows wider throughout her lifetime.

Women’s Wealth

And it’s not just annual earnings: The pay gap also contributes to the . It makes it difficult for women to amass savings, build wealth and achieve economic security. Overall, the average American woman has a net worth of $5,541, less than half of the $12,188 average net worth of a man. In terms of overall wealth, a single woman has only 32 cents for each dollar a single man has. And the wealth gap is even wider for women of color, who have just pennies for every dollar a white male has.

Deeper in Debt

The consequences of this gap affect women throughout their lives. While women outpace men in earning bachelor’s, master’s and advanced degrees, they take on greater debt to pay for their education: Women hold nearly two-thirds of the outstanding student debt in the United States — almost $929 billion as of early-2019. Because of the gender pay gap, women have a harder time repaying loans, meaning women’s debt burden compounds as time goes on.

Learn more about debt

Saving Less

The pay gap follows women into retirement: As a result of lower lifetime earnings, they receive less in Social Security and pensions. Women collect only 80%Ìýof what men collect in Social Security benefits, and just 76%Ìýin pensions. In terms of overall retirement income, women have only 70%Ìýof what men do.ÌýWhite men over 65 have an average annual income of $44,200, while white women over 65 must get by on $23,100, Black women on $21,900, and Latinas on $14,800.

Learn more about retirement

What can we do?

Side by side photo comparison of ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ members at protest march in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s and a present-day photo of ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ members at the 2017 Women's March on Washington.
ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ members and supporters make their voices heard in the 1970s and in the 2017 Women’s March on Washington.

Fighting for change

Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet or quick fix. Though the status of women has dramatically improved in recent decades, the lingering inequity is the result of historical, societal and political legacies that persist today.ÌýOutdated norms about gender roles run deep in our culture:ÌýThey affect the paths that girls and women pursue throughout their education;Ìýexpectations about their roles as mothers and caregivers; laws, policies and legacies that favor men; and flat out discrimination, bias and misconduct that hinder women’s advancement. These all add up to an unacceptable realityÌýthat ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ is fighting to change.Ìý

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ believes achieving pay equity requires a multi-pronged approach:  Ìý

  • We need strong state and federal laws focused on ensuring equal pay for all American women.ÌýSee ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s economic security policy agenda.Ìý
  • Employers need to commit to continuous improvement and to enacting policies and practices that will help put women on par with men. Read more about how equal pay is good for business.Ìý
  • WomenÌýindividuallyÌýneed to advocate for themselves: They need to negotiate for the best possible pay and benefits and pursue higher-paying jobs, promotions and leadership opportunities. Learn more about ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s program initiatives aimed at closing the wage, STEM and leadership gaps.ÌýÌý
ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Coretta Scott King Fellow Nell Painter. Leading U.S. historian and Edwards Professor Emerita of American History at Princeton University.
Gender Equity

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Partners with NSF on Advancing Pay Equity in Higher Education

Joining forces with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ, the NSF ADVANCE Partnership Project “Let’s Talk Money” takes aim at bringing gender equity to higher education compensation. Rooted in ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s commitment to dismantling equity barriers for women and girls, “Let’s Talk Money” aims to expand knowledge of best practices for faculty pay to the higher education community by:

• Building understanding of university pay-practices and outcomes.
• Incorporating an equity lens into pay-decisions.
• Expanding productive conversations about pay.
• Improving communication of pay decisions.

Ask for More

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Work Smart

Learn to negotiate for a new job, raise or promotion with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s salary negotiation training, Work Smart. Earning more can make the difference in paying off loans, supporting yourself and your family, buying what you want and need, and saving for the future.

The dome of Capitol Building, Washington DC, and the American flag against a blue sky.
Policy Center

Where We Stand: Equal Pay

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ believes that pay equity and equal employment opportunity are matters of simple fairness. See which policy measures we support and how you can get involved.

Faces of ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

Everybody's Issue

There will be a far richer reward if we secure fair pay. For our children and grandchildren, so that no one will ever again experience the discrimination that I did. Equal pay for equal work is a fundamental American principle.”

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Take Action

There are lots of ways to get involved with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s work to advance gender equity. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of women and girls.