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.
Wage Gap Persists in Most Occupations, Sales Jobs Worst Paying for Women
According to new analysis by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), women earn less than men in nearly all of the 114 most common occupations. Women’s wages are lower than men’s even in occupations dominated by men and women have the worst earnings compared to men in sales occupations, such as insurance and retail sales.
Job Growth Slows for Both Women and Men
According to the April employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job growth improved at a slower pace in March compared to the previous month, with 88,000 jobs added to nonfarm payrolls.
Job Growth Slows for Both Women and Men
According to analysis by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) women gained 25,000 (28 percent) of the new jobs added in March, while men gained 63,000 (72 percent). According to the April employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job growth overall improved at a slower pace in March compared to the previous month, with 88,000 jobs added to nonfarm payrolls.
