This post is all about infuriating wage gap statistics that will help inspire you to ask your boss for more pay.
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Why should workers know wage gap statistics?
10 Infuriating Wage Gap Statistics
In 2023, you’d think our employers would pay everyone the same for doing the same job. Unfortunately, if you’re a woman or a person of color, your boss is probably paying your colleagues more than you. In this post, we discuss the “wage gap” and show you 10 wage gap statistics about how women and people of color are universally underpaid. And be warned— if you care about fairness, this research will probably piss you off.
WHAT IS A WAGE GAP?
Imagine being at work on your lunch break. You’re grabbing your food from the cafeteria, and you overhear a coworker, Tom, complaining about a new project. Then, he says something that almost sends you over the edge: “It’s just too much work for $100,000 a year.”
You’re floored. Your cheeks flush with humiliation. You retreat to your desk as your brain scrambles to understand what you heard. You make $64,000 a year and have the same job title as Tom. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE MAKES SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU?!
The term “wage gap” describes how much more money (on average) one group makes than another group.
You have the same amount of experience and the same level education. The only difference is that Tom is a white man and you’re a Black woman. But that can’t be the reason…can it? Unfortunately, it can. And this scenario is rooted in reality.
The term “wage gap” describes how much more money (on average) one group makes than another group. For example, the gender wage gap is the difference between how much employers pay men versus women. The racial wage gap describes the difference in average pay between workers from different racial groups. Gender and racial wage gap statistics show that employers consistently pay white men more money than women and people of color.
WHY SHOULD WORKERS KNOW WAGE GAP STATISTICS?
Everyone should know about pay disparities because injustice impacts everyone. But this information is particularly helpful for employees, either as members of marginalized communities (like women or people of color) or as allies.
If you’re a woman or person of color, understanding pay disparities can help you realize that you’re not making fair wages and inspire you to ask for more pay. But it can be hard to prove that your boss is paying you less than the white men you work with. Most people don’t know how much money their coworkers make. And asking them can feel taboo, even though it’s illegal for employers to stop employees from discussing their pay. So statistical research can be powerful evidence that your colleagues probably make more than you.
Knowing wage gap statistics can also help allies advocate for equity in the workplace. As an ally, it’s your responsibility to use your privilege to reduce harm against marginalized people. When it comes to pay disparities, understanding wage gap statistics can help you challenge your employer’s compensation practices and maybe even advocate for a workplace culture assessment about pay equity. Seeing the numbers may also inspire you to tell your colleagues how much you make, so they can figure out if they’re underpaid.
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10 INFURIATING WAGE GAP STATISTICS
When it comes to wage gaps, you have to see the numbers to really understand it. So below, we’ve listed the 10 statistics that enrage us the most: 5 stats about gender and 5 about race. These numbers reflect data about the wage gap in the U.S., but they generally track international trends. They’re also based on averages, so you may know people who defy these odds. But for most people, the takeaway is the same: women and people of color are infuriatingly underpaid.
Gender Wage Gap Statistics
1. Women make 83 cents for every dollar men make.
This means that, for every $100,000 men make, women make $17,000 less.
2. Women will make an average of $900,000 less than men during our lifetimes.
Much of that can be explained by the fact that women are less likely to have management-level, higher-paying jobs. But $70,000 can only be explained by gender bias.
3. Even when women and men have the same jobs, women make less than men.
4. Women make less than men in every U.S. state.
The gender pay gap is the smallest in Vermont, where women make 93 cents for every dollar men make. The biggest gap is in Wyoming, where women make 68% of every dollar men make.
5. Over 60% of women agree that a major cause of the wage gap is that employers treat women differently than men, but only 37% of men agree.
Men are more likely to believe the wage gap is largely caused by women choosing family over work (instead of by employers simply paying women less).
Racial Wage Gap Statistics
1. People of color make 83 cents for every dollar white people make. But this calculation includes Asian and Pacific Islander workers, who actually make 12 cents more than every dollar white people make. So the average is much lower for people who are Black, Native American and American Indian, Hispanic and Latino, and Multiracial.
2. Hispanic and Latinx people make 73 cents for every dollar white people make, which is the largest racial pay gap. And Black people aren’t far behind, making 76 cents for every dollar white people make. These numbers mean that for every $100,000 white workers make, Hispanic or Latinx people make $27,000 less. And Black people make $24,000 less.
3. White people earn more than Hispanic and Latinx people in every U.S. state, and Black people earn more than white people in just one state: Idaho.
4. Women of color face even greater wage gaps. Hispanic and Latina women make 58 cents for every dollar white men make, and Black women make 63 cents for every dollar white men make.
5. The wage gap compounds racial wealth inequality. White Americans have a median household wealth of $187,300. Black households have $14,100 and Hispanic and Latinx households have $31,700 in median wealth.
In our modern society, it’s hard to believe that someone can make less money just because they’re a woman or person of color. And the statistics are even worse if you’re LGBT+ or a person with a disability. But hopefully they inspire you to negotiate for a raise or talk to your coworkers about how much money you make. Either way, the more employees know about pay disparities, the fairer workplaces will become.
This post was all about wage gap statistics that should piss you off.
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