Latina women were among the hardest hit by the economic crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, they are still facing difficult labor market conditions, including persistently low pay. This year, Latina Equal Pay Day is on October 3—a date representing the point in the year when Latinas have earned the same amount as White men had made by the end of the previous year. This means that Latinas had to work an additional 10 months to reach pay equity with White men.
IWPR’s latest fact sheet finds that, in 2023, Latinas who worked full-time year-round earned 57.8 cents per dollar compared to White men. Additionally, all Latinas with earnings made just 51.3 cents per dollar compared to White men. At this rate, all Latinas with earnings won’t reach pay equity with White men until 2198. This jumps to 2338 for Latinas who work full-time year-round.
Latinas earn significantly less in every state and the District of Columbia. Latinas with all earnings earn less on the dollar than Latinas who work full-time year-round. For example, among all earners, in 2022, Latina workers had the lowest earnings in New Jersey, earning 40.3 cents per dollar made by White men, and earned the most in Vermont, making 77.3 cents per dollar compared to White men.
Latina women face many obstacles that prevent them from obtaining equal pay with White men. Concentration in lower-paid jobs, immigration status, and discrimination in the workplace are just a few factors that contribute to the stark difference between Latina women’s and White men’s pay. With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering in the present economy, it will take years for Latinas to reach equal pay.
Service sector jobs are growing in the United States, and Latina women are over twice as likely to work in this sector than men. Nearly 13 percent of men were employed in the service sector compared to nearly 30 percent of Latina women in 2023. Jobs in the service sector, such as care work and housekeepers, are notorious for having low wages and long, unpredictable hours. These jobs also tend to lack benefits like paid time off and maternity leave, further contributing to the wage gap between Latina women and White men.
In addition to the types of jobs Latinas most commonly work, they are also more likely to be immigrants in the United States. Given negative stereotypes and biases, immigration status can affect Latina women’s wages. Research shows that roughly 20 percent of Latino/a professionals report hearing negative comments about immigration while in the workplace at some point. Negative views surrounding immigration can also prevent Latina women from moving up into higher-paying jobs, keeping them stagnant in their same low-paying positions.
Regardless of their immigration status, discrimination and hiring biases can inhibit Latina women from working in higher-paying positions and make it difficult for them to climb the corporate ladder. In fact, Latina women are the least likely group to be represented in C-suite positions. Due to unsupportive workplaces, it is also common for Latina women to feel like they must assimilate in order to be successful in the workplace.
Though no single factor accounts for the Latina women’s wage gap, policy recommendations, such as access to education, immigration reform, and reducing discrimination, can all aid Latinas in their fight for equal pay. Promoting degree attainment for Latina women can help them obtain access to higher-paying positions and move up in the workplace, which in turn could help reduce the number of Latina women working in the low-wage service sector. Further, addressing immigration reform, such as making it easier for Latinas to go through legalization pathways and visa programs, could vastly improve their employment situation. With time, these policy recommendations could also help improve overall labor market outcomes for Latina women.
