A new investigation from Techopedia has drawn from several other studies to provide an update on the current state of the gender pay gap in the United States. According to their findings, the report authors found that American women make, on average, 84 cents for every one dollar earned by American men. This is only a four percent improvement from 2002.
The authors discovered several contributing factors that affect America’s persistent gender pay gap. In their analysis, Utah, Louisiana, and Alabama were found to have the largest gender pay gaps in median earnings, with women making only 73.1 percent, 74.8 percent, and 75.0 percent of men’s earnings, respectively. In comparison, Vermont, California, and New York had significantly smaller gaps at 89.3 percent, 88.2 percent, and 87.5 percent, respectively.
In regards to age, women aged 20 to 24 had the narrowest gender pay gap, earning 92.5 percent of their male peers’ median income. The pay gap widens with age, with women between the age of 55 and 64 making only 77.2 percent of their male peers’ earnings. However, the gap shrinks for women over the age of 65, who earn 82.7 percent of what similarly aged men make.
Occupational fields were also found to have a significant impact on the gender pay gap. The finance and insurance field was revealed to have the largest gender pay gap among the fields included in the investigation. Women who work in finance earn only 61.3 percent of their male peers’ income. Large disparities were also found among professional, scientific, and technical service workers, as well as corporate managers. While the gender pay gap between men and women was found in nearly every industry, women were found to earn more than men in several specific positions, such as tutors, personal care or service workers, and interior designers.
Notably, gender pay gaps differed significantly depending on racial backgrounds. The largest discrepancy was found among Hispanic women, who earn just 57.5 percent of what men make. Black women were found to earn 69.1 percent of what men make. Depending on the island or territory their family originates from, Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women make between 59 percent to 73 percent of men’s earnings. The gap for White women was found to be 80 percent, slightly below the national average. Conversely, Asian women have almost closed the gender pay gap, making 98.6 percent of the average income for all American men.