
Join us for IWPR’s 2026 Power+ Summit, The Power Grid: Driving Gender Equity Forward, taking place September 28–29 in Detroit, MI.
Together, we will spark bold ideas, share breakthroughs, and shape the future of gender equity.
Extensive research has shown that women on average make less than men. But the reasons why and the path toward pay equity are much murkier. The study from the Washington-based nonprofit, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research outlines one possible route to at least putting a dent in the gender pay gap: Getting more women into traditionally male-dominated careers that don’t require a college degree and pay a living wage.
The research notes that women make up just 36% of workers in middle-skill jobs that pay at least $35,000 a year and just 27% of workers in growing middle-skill jobs. But women account for 83% of workers in middle-skill jobs that pay $30,000 or less a year.

Join us for IWPR’s 2026 Power+ Summit, The Power Grid: Driving Gender Equity Forward, taking place September 28–29 in Detroit, MI.
Together, we will spark bold ideas, share breakthroughs, and shape the future of gender equity.