Employment and Earnings2020-12-09T18:08:37-05:00

Trends in Employment and Earnings

Women’s status in the area of employment and earnings has improved on two indicators since the publication of IWPR’s last national report on the status of women, the 2004 Status of Women in the States, and remained unchanged or declined on two others. Women’s median annual earnings for full-time, year-round work in 2013 ($39,157) were nearly identical to their earnings for similar work in 2002 ($39,108 when adjusted to 2013 dollars). The gender earnings ratio improved during this time from 76.6 to 78.3 percent, narrowing the gender wage gap by 1.7 percentage points, and the share of women working in professional or managerial occupations grew from 33.2 to 39.9 percent. Women’s labor force participation rate, however, declined from 59.6 in 2002 to 57.0 percent in 2014.

BestWorst
1. District of Columbia51. Mississippi
2. Maryland50. West Virginia
3. Massachusetts49. Idaho
4. Connecticut48. Louisiana
5. New York47. Alabama
707, 2025

Black Women Stand to Lose Over $1 Million to the Wage Gap, IWPR Report Finds Ahead of Equal Pay Day

The report arrives as lawmakers pursue efforts to weaken or eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These policies have been instrumental in addressing disparities in pay, hiring, and promotion. Washington, DC—A new analysis from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows that a Black woman working full-time year-round stands to lose more than $1 million over a 40-year career compared to White men. These lost wages could have supported a down payment on a home, retirement savings, or securing a child’s education, but instead weaken household stability and limit long-term wealth for Black families.