According to the latest data, women worldwide earn 17% less than male workers on average.
However, this percentage may change according to the industry and the location of the workers.
Therefore, to provide detailed facts and figures related to the pay gap, I have compiled all the latest Gender Pay Gap Statistics from trusted sources.
Let’s get into the details right here.
Gender Pay Gap Statistics: Key Statistics
- The ratio of female to male earnings for workers between the age of 18 to 24 is recorded to be 82.91%.
- Real estate brokers and sales agents have the highest gender pay gap. The difference in the male and female earnings is recorded to be 60%.
- The highest gender pay gap is recorded in Wyoming. The women in the state are paid just 68 cents for every dollar men earn.
- The lowest gender pay gap is in Vermont. The women there earn 93 cents for every dollar men earn.
- Trans women are the lowest-paid workers. They earn just $600 per week by working full-time.
- Latinx LGBTQ+ women earn 72 cents for every dollar typical workers earn.
- The number of years required to close the gender pay gap is 132.
- Women receive 70.5% of the retirement income men receive.
The Current Wage Gap
- Women earn 17% less than men on average as of 2023.
- 11% of the wage gap still exists when comparing male and female workers with the same job title, experience level, and the number of hours worked.
Source: Forbes.
Changes in the wage gap over time
- The wage gap is reduced by half a cent every year for every dollar earned by men.
Women made only 59 cents for each dollar earned by men in 1963. Comparatively, in the next decade, this number increased to 77 cents.
Besides, since 2018, women comprise more than 47% of the workforce, but their median earnings are still lower than men.
- Gender pay equity won’t become a reality until 2059.
The gender pay gap has been reduced over the past years. However, there is a long time for it to become just and fair for women.
- According to the controlled gender pay gap, women earn just one cent less than men per dollar earned by men as of 2023.
At the same time, the uncontrolled gender pay gap differs by 17 cents for every dollar men earn.
Comparatively, the controlled pay gap in 2015 was recorded to be 3 cents, and the uncontrolled pay gap was recorded to be 24 cents for each dollar earned by men.
The following table displays the controlled and uncontrolled pay gap recorded over the past years.
| Year | Controlled pay ( for every dollar earned by men) | Uncontrolled pay (for per dollar earned by men) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0.99 cents | 0.83 cents |
| 2022 | 0.99 cents | 0.82 cents |
| 2021 | 0.98 cents | 0.82 cents |
| 2020 | 0.98 cents | 0.82 cents |
| 2019 | 0.98 cents | 0.81 cents |
| 2018 | 0.98 cents | 0.79 cents |
| 2017 | 0.98 cents | 0.78 cents |
| 2016 | 0.97 cents | 0.76 cents |
| 2015 | 0.97 cents | 0.75 cents |
Source: Statista.
LGBTQ+ Pay Gap
- Trans women are the lowest-paid workers worldwide.
The median weekly wages recorded for the full-time working trans women workers is recorded to be $600.
In contrast, the second lowest weekly wages were recorded for the Non-binary and two-spirited. They received a weekly wage or salary of $698.
The following table displays the weekly wages earned by full-time non-farm LGBTQ+ workers.
| Gender | Weekly wages for full-time non-farm workers |
|---|---|
| LGBTQ+ men | $960 |
| LGBTQ+ women | $875 |
| Trans men | $700 |
| Nonbinary and two-spirit | $698 |
| Trans women | $600 |
| All LGBTQ+ workers | $900 |
Source: 19th News.
- The LGBTQ+ white workers earn 97 cents for every dollar earned by male workers.
On the other hand, LGBTQ+ Latinx workers earn just 90 cents per dollar earned by male workers.
At the same time, LGBTQ+ Asian/Asian Pacific Islanders workers receive $1 for every dollar the typical worker earns.
The following table displays the LGBTQ+ Pay Gap by Race.
| LGBTQ+ race | Cents or dollar (for every dollar earned by a typical worker) |
|---|---|
| LGBTQ+ White workers | 97 cents |
| LGBTQ+ Latinx workers | 90 cents |
| LGBTQ+ Black workers | 80 cents |
| LGBTQ+ Native American workers | 70 cents |
| LGBTQ+ Asian/Asian Pacific Islanders workers | $1.00 |
Source: hrc.org.
- Men in the LGBTQ+ community earn 96 cents for every dollar a male worker earns.
At the same time, trans women earn just 60 cents for every dollar a typical male worker earns.
Trans men are found to have an earning of 70 cents for every dollar earned by a typical worker.
The following table displays the LGBTQ+ Pay Gap by Gender or Gender Identity.
| LGBTQ+ gender | Cents or dollar ( for every dollar earned by a typical worker) |
|---|---|
| men in the LGBTQ+ community | 96 cents |
| women in the LGBTQ+ community | 87 cents |
| non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid and two-spirit workers | 70 cents |
| trans men | 70 cents |
| trans women | 60 cents |
Source: hrc.org.
- Latinx LGBTQ+ women earn just 72 cents for every dollar earned by men.
On the other hand, API LGBTQ+ women earn $1 for every dollar earned by a typical worker, and White LGBTQ+ women earn 96 cents per dollar earned by men or typical workers.
Here is a table displaying the LGBTQ+ Pay Gap by Race & Gender.
| LGBTQ+ Race & Gender | Cent or dollar(for every dollar earned by a typical worker) |
|---|---|
| API LGBTQ+ women | $1.00 |
| White LGBTQ+ women | 96 cents |
| Black LGBTQ+ women | 85 cents |
| Native American LGBTQ+ women | 75 cents |
| Latinx LGBTQ+ women | 72 cents |
Source: hrc.org.
Gender Pay Demographics
- Latin and Hispanic women earn just 57 cents for every dollar men earn.
At the same time, Asian women earn 92 cents for every dollar earned by men in the nation.
The following table displays the gender pay gap among people of different ethnicities in the United States.
| Ethnicity | Cents earned (for every dollar earned by men) |
|---|---|
| Asian women | 92 cents |
| Women overall | 84 cents |
| Black women | 67 cents |
| Native American women | 57 cents |
| Latina or Hispanic women | 57 cents |
Source: Statista.
- In 2020, Black women were paid just 58% of what non-Hispanic men were paid.
- In 2021, Latina women were recorded to have just 54% of the pay that non-Hispanic men.
- The Native American women were paid just 60 cents per dollar paid to white men.
- Black, Native American, and Latina women starting their job at 20- years earn $407,760 less than men starting with them.
Gender Pay Gaps in the United States
- The ratio of female to male earnings of workers between the age of 16 to 24 is recorded to be 82.91%.
This ratio increases to 87.53% for the workers in the age group of 25 to 34. At the same time, this ratio reduces to 75.82% for the workers working in the age group of 55 to 64.
Here is a table displaying the female-to-male earning ratio for workers in different age groups in the United States.
| Age group | Female to male earnings ratio |
|---|---|
| 16 to 24 years | 82.91% |
| 25 to 34 years | 87.53% |
| 35 to 44 years | 84.21% |
| 45 to 54 years | 76.9% |
| 55 to 64 years | 75.82% |
| 65 years and older | 76.52% |
Source: Statista.
Did you know? White men workers aged between 16 to 24 years annually earn $40,404. At the same time, white women earn annually $36,140. You can learn more about Average US Income in our stats article.
- The median weekly earnings of full-time Asian women workers in the United States is $1,234 as of 2023, while that of the men is $1,559.
At the same time, the median weekly earning of Hispanic or Latino women is recorded to be $761, while that of men is $887.
The following table displays the median difference between the salaries of workers of different ethnicities recorded in 2022.
| Ethnicity | Weekly Earnings of Men | Weekly Earnings of Women | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | $1,559 | $1,234 | $325 |
| White | $1,154 | $958 | $196 |
| Black or African American | $921 | $835 | $86 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $887 | $761 | $126 |
| Overall | $1,172 | $973 | $199 |
Source: Statista.
- The difference in the median weekly salary of men and women working full-time with an advanced degree is $480.
At the same time, the difference between men and women with less than a high school diploma is recorded to be $160.
The following table displays the difference in the median earning of men and women with different educational qualifications as of the fourth quarter of 2022.
| Educational qualification | Weekly Earning of Men | Weekly Earning of Women | Difference in earning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than a high school diploma | $753 | $593 | $160 |
| High school, no college | $960 | $754 | $206 |
| Some college or associate’s degree | $1,116 | $864 | $252 |
| Bachelor’s degree | $1,627 | $1,254 | $373 |
| Advanced degree | $2,020 | $1,540 | $480 |
| Overall | $1,238 | $1,010 | $228 |
The difference in the salaries earned by men and women increases with the increase in the qualification levels.
Source: Statista.
- The highest female-to-male earning ratio of the workers is recorded in Vermont. The ratio percentage in the state is 89.18%.
The second highest ratio was observed for the residents of the District of Columbia. The female-to-male earnings ratio in the state is recorded to be 86.32%
The following table displays the states with the highest Female to male earning ratio:
| States | Female to Male earning ratio |
|---|---|
| Vermont | 89.18% |
| District of Columbia | 86.32% |
| New York | 79.16% |
| Maryland | 79% |
| Nevada | 78.52% |
| Arizona | 78.46% |
| New Mexico | 77.83% |
| Arkansas | 77.64% |
| Florida | 77.35% |
| Hawaii | 77.21% |
Source: Statista.
- The lowest female-to-male earning ratio was recorded in Utah. The ratio here was 60.18% as of 2021.
The following state with the lowest ratio is recorded to be Wyoming, with a ratio of 61%.
The second and the third most minor ratio was recorded in Louisiana and Idaho. They had an earning ratio of 64.2% and 65.32%.
The following table displays the states with the lowest female-to-male earning ratio in the United States as of 2021.
| State | Female to male earning ratio |
|---|---|
| Utah | 60.18% |
| Wyoming | 61% |
| Louisiana | 64.2% |
| Idaho | 65.32% |
| Alabama | 66.34% |
| West Virginia | 67.53% |
| North Dakota | 68.19% |
| Washington | 68.73% |
| Indiana | 69.72% |
| Michigan | 69.91% |
Source: Statista.
Gender pay Gaps were recorded worldwide
- South Korea has the largest difference in the full-time earnings of men and female employees as of 2023.
At the same time, the least difference is recorded in Belgium, followed by Costa Rica.
The following table displays the gender pay gap recorded worldwide as of 2023.
| Country | The difference in median full-time earnings of men and women |
|---|---|
| South Korea | 31.2% |
| Japan | 22.1% |
| United States | 17.0% |
| France | 11.6% |
| United Kingdom | 14.5% |
| Brazil | 11.1% |
| Spain | 8.2% |
| Italy | 5.7% |
| Costa Rica | 1.4% |
| Belgium | 1.2% |
Source: OCED.
Gender Pay Gaps According to the Job Title.
- The highest gender pay gap was recorded in the real estate brokers and sales agent jobs. Here males earn 60% more than females in the United States.
At the same time, the second-highest gender wage gap was recorded in the personal financial advisor’s jobs. The females in this industry earned 58% less than the men.
Insurance sales agents and sales managers are the third and fourth occupations, with a broader pay gap for both genders. Women in these job titles are paid 55% and 47% less than males.
In the following table, I have compiled the data about the gender pay gaps recorded in different job titles.
| Job title | Female median salary | Male median salary | Difference | Difference in percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate brokers and sales agents | $49,920 | $79,872 | $29,952 | 60% |
| Personal financial advisors | $65,208 | $103,220 | $38,012 | 58% |
| Insurance sales agents | $46,332 | $71,604 | $25,272 | 55% |
| Sales managers | $74,568 | $109,408 | $34,840 | 47% |
| Bus drivers, school | $33,748 | $49,244 | $15,496 | 46% |
| Sales and related occupations | $40,716 | $59,228 | $18,512 | 45% |
| Financial managers | $76,336 | $110,032 | $33,696 | 44% |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers | $37,388 | $53,716 | $16,328 | 44% |
| Recreation workers | $34,424 | $48,360 | $13,936 | 40% |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks | $39,832 | $53,872 | $14,040 | 35% |
Source: Forbes.
- The smallest gender pay gap is recorded for the job titles like social science and other life, physical technicians. The difference in the amount earned by men and women is $1,144.
The second smallest gender pay gap is recorded for the jobs of Physical therapists. The pay gap for this job title is just 2%, and the average difference is $1,612.
The women enrolled in the social worker jobs get paid less by 6% compared to men, and the difference in their salaries is $3,224.
The following table displays the jobs with the smallest gender pay gap differences.
| Job title | Female median salary | Male median salary | Difference | Difference in percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other life, physical, and social science technicians | $63,804 | $64,948 | $1,144 | 2% |
| Physical therapists | $78,052 | $79,664 | $1,612 | 2% |
| Bartenders | $36,400 | $37,492 | $1,092 | 3% |
| Special education teachers | $62,868 | $64,844 | $1,976 | 3% |
| Cashiers | $30,160 | $31,460 | $1,300 | 4% |
| Office clerks, general | $40,040 | $41,808 | $1,768 | 4% |
| Maids, and housekeeping cleaners | $30,472 | $32,136 | $1,664 | 5% |
| Nursing assistants | $35,100 | $37,024 | $1,924 | 5% |
| Social workers, all other | $58,240 | $61,464 | $3,224 | 6% |
| Security guards and gambling surveillance officers | $36,348 | $38,376 | $2,028 | 6% |
Source: Forbes.
Bonus: You can read our article to know how women are performing in tech-related jobs.
Gender Pay Gap Statistics According to Industry
- The females working in the Legal industry are paid 59% less .
The average difference recorded in the male and female payments is $44,304.
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations pay women less by 40%, and the difference in the amount paid to men and women is $14,508.
Management, professional, and related occupations pay women less by 35%, with a payment gap of $22,984.
The following table displays the top 5 industries with the highest gender pay gaps.
| Job title | Female median salary | Male median salary | Difference | Difference in percentage |
| Legal occupations | $75,140 | $119,444 | $44,304 | 59% |
| Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations | $36,400 | $50,908 | $14,508 | 40% |
| Management, professional, and related occupations | $66,768 | $89,752 | $22,984 | 34% |
| Professional and related occupations | $63,908 | $85,644 | $21,736 | 34% |
| Protective service occupations | $43,420 | $57,512 | $14,092 | 32% |
Source: Statista.
Gender Pay Gap in Sports
- Women athletes receive considerably lesser payouts in many sports than male athletes.
The pay gap differences are recorded in golf, basketball, baseball, tennis, etc., ranging between 15 % to 100%.
One of the most popular examples here can be of the NBA players. The WNBA season is shorter compared to the NBA season. It has only 36 games, whereas the NBA has 82 games, and the average salary of an NBA player is 44% more than the annual average wage of the WNBA player.
On the other hand, the average salary of the US national soccer team is an exception. Women and men teams receive equal pay, and this change has occurred over the past years.
Source: Forbes.
Gender Pay Gap According to State
The gender pay gap varies from location to location. You will find that the gender pay gap in some places is less than the gender pay gap recorded in other states.
Here are some details about the gender pay gap recorded in different states of the United States.
- The highest gender pay gap is recorded in Wyoming. The women here earn just 68 cents for each dollar men earn in the state.
The second highest pay gap is recorded in Louisiana, with a difference of 27.9 cents per dollar earned by men.
Utah and Montana follow Louisiana, where women are paid just 74.6 cents and 75.5 cents per dollar men earn.
Here is a table displaying the states with the highest gender pay gap in the United States.
| State | Gender pay gap difference ( per dollar earned by men) |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | 68 cents |
| Louisiana | 72.1 cents |
| Utah | 73.0 cents |
| Montana | 74.6 cents |
| Alabama | 75.5 cents |
| New Hampshire | 75.6 cents |
| West Virginia | 77.1 cents |
| Washington | 77.3 cents |
| Oklahoma | 77.5 cents |
| Mississippi | 77.7 cents. |
Source: US news.
- The smallest wage gaps are recorded in Vermont. Here women are paid 93 cents per dollar earned by men.
The second smallest wage gap is seen in New York, with women being paid 88.2 cents for each dollar men earn.
California and Rhode Island pay women 87.3 cents and 85.9 cents for each dollar paid to men.
The following table displays the states with the lowest gender gap in the United States.
| States | Cents per Dollar paid to men |
|---|---|
| Vermont | 93 cents |
| New York | 88.2 cents |
| California | 87.3 cents |
| Rhode Island | 85.9 cents |
| Maryland | 85.6 cents |
| Massachusetts | 85.5 cents |
| Nevada | 85.4 cents |
| Delaware | 84.9 cents |
| New Mexico | 84.4 cents |
| Alaska | 83.9 cents |
Source: US News.
Wage Gaps in the Rural and Urban Areas
The gender pay gap is higher in rural areas than urban areas. In this section, I have added further details related to the wage gap and the differences recorded in the urban and rural areas.
- Women in rural areas earn only 76 cents for every dollar earned by the men in their areas.
- The lowest-paid workers in rural areas are women of color.
The black and Hispanic women who work full-time in rural areas make only 56 cents for every dollar earned by the white and Non-Hispanic men in the rural areas.
- Nearly 66% of the women in rural arrears are found to be the primary or the co-bread winners in their families. They make at least 25% of their family’s earnings.
How close are countries to closing the Gender pay gaps?
- According to World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, the number of years left to close the global gender pay gap is 132.
Besides, Iceland is very close to closing the gender wage gap. The gender parity recorded in the country is 0.912 out of 1.
At the same time, the gender parity recorded in the United States is 0.748 out of 1.
Here is a table displaying the Gender parity out of 1 recorded in different countries worldwide.
| Country | Gender Parity for wages |
|---|---|
| Iceland | 0.912 / 1 |
| Rwanda | 0.794/ 1 |
| Netherlands | 0.777/ 1 |
| United States | 0.748/ 1 |
| Italy | 0.705/ 1 |
| Japan | 0.647/ 1 |
| India | 0.643/ 1 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0.637/ 1 |
| Iran | 0.575/ 1 |
| Afganisthan | 0.405/ 1 |
Source: Statista.
Post covid gender pay gaps
- Covid-19 drastically affected women’s employment, and no signs of them returning. Besides, women’s unemployment rates crossed men’s by 4.1%.
This took place in April 2020; since then, this rate has remained constant and has not decreased.
The number of employed women was reduced by 13.4%. Compared to that, the number of employed men decreased by 11.4%.
However, this decline was the least for white women. The number of employment in white women decreased by 12.2%. At the same time, the highest decrease in the employment rates was recorded in Asian women, followed by Hispanic women. Their number of employment decreased by 17% and 16.2% respectively.
Source: Forbes.
Effect of the Gender Pay Gap on Retirement
The low earning and the gender pay gap significantly impact women’s retirement. Here are some facts and figures about the gender pay gap recorded at retirement.
- Women receive 20% less in Social Security Benefits than men on retirement.
Plus, the pension benefits women receive are less than those men receive, leading to lower retirement savings.
Women, on average, are found to have 30% less contribution towards their account on their retirement.
Source: Forbes.
- Women receive just 70.5% of men’s total retirement income.
The pension income received is calculated to be 76.2% of the pension received by men. At the same time, the social security amount received by women is just 80.2% of that received by men.
The following table displays the Retirement income received by women compared to men.
| Retirement | Percentage of men’s retirement income |
|---|---|
| Pension Income | 76.2% |
| Social Security | 80.2% |
| Total Retirement Income | 70.5% |
Source: aauw.org.
Related Reads:
Conclusion: Gender Pay Gap Statistics (2023)
That was all about Gender Pay statistics.
Looking at all the facts and figures, it is clear that some countries like Iceland are close to diminishing this pay gap, while it is still wide to cover in other countries.
Moreover, the gender pay gap in the United States has remained stagnant over the past 20 years, and there are no signs of it declining. However, with the increased participation of women in the workforce, we expect these numbers to change over the upcoming years.
FAQs
Women earn 17% less compared to men as of 2023. For Every dollar earned by men, women earn 83 cents. Further, 11% of the gap is recorded for the women that have the same experience and education as that of men.
The highest gender pay gap is recorded in the state of Wyoming as of 2023. Women here earn 68 cents for every dollar earned by men. The second highest gender pay gap is recorded in the state of Louisiana. The women in the state earn 72.1 cents for every dollar men earn.
Women working in the United States receive only 83 cents for every dollar earned by men. This pay gap affects their lifestyle and savings. Plus, in the long run, their retirement amount gets affected, and they end up getting fewer pension and Social Security benefits.
The gender pay gap has remained constant over the United States for the past 20 years. But it is expected that this will decrease in the upcoming years, but there are no strong signs.
The lowest gender pay gap is recorded in the state of Vermont. The women in this state earn 93 cents for every dollar a man earns. It is followed by New York, which pays women 88.2 cents for every dollar men earn.
