Research2021-04-08T12:06:28-05:00

Publications

Apprenticeship Report Mar 2024
As Apprenticeships Expand, Breaking Down Barriers to Women’s Economic Success

The apprenticeship route can offer an alternative to traditional college (and college debt), yet traditionally, women have been much less likely to be apprentices than men. Check out IWPR’s latest report analyzing whether the commitments to greater gender and racial equity in apprenticeship pathways are being realized and whether women and men are equally likely to achieve jobs with family-sustaining wages following apprenticeships.

IWPR caregiving poll
Check out IWPR's Latest Poll on Caregiving and Women in the Workforce

Care is the cornerstone of economic activity, yet it remains undervalued and underfunded in the American economy, adversely impacting caregivers and those in need. IWPR's recent poll of women in the workforce details the concerns that many caregivers have about the impact of their responsibilities on their future careers and financial security.

EPD 2024 Wage Gap Fact Sheet
On Equal Pay Day 2024, New IWPR Report Reveals that Women Earn Less than Men in All Occupations, Even Ones Commonly Held by Women

Women are paid eighty-four (84) cents for every dollar a man makes, a persistent gender wage gap that spans all professions, even those typically held by women, according to a new report released by IWPR

2023 Annual Report
Check Out IWPR's 2023 Annual Report!

Learn more about our mission and values as an organization, our impact, and how we do what we do.

previous arrowprevious arrow
next arrownext arrow

Women Gain Jobs in Construction Trades but Remain Underrepresented in the Field

Between 2017 and 2018, the number of women working in construction trades increased by 17.6 percent, rising to well over a quarter of a million women (276,000).[1] This is substantially higher than job growth of 3.7 percent in construction occupations overall.

Retail Occupations: Few Signs of Employment Decline but Increasing Precarity

One in eleven U.S. workers work in retail jobs, close to 13 million workers in 2014-16. Occupations in the retail sector include Retail Salespersons, Cashiers, and Stock Clerks and Order Fillers, but also Advertising Agents, Telemarketers, and Models and Product Promoters.

Still a Man’s Labor Market: The Slowly Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

The commonly used figure to describe the gender wage ratio—that a woman earns 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man—understates the pay inequality problem by leaving many women workers out of the picture. This report argues that a multi-year analysis provides a more comprehensive picture of the gender wage gap and presents a more accurate measure of the income women actually bring home to support themselves and their families.

Dreams Deferred: A Survey on the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Survivors’ Education, Careers, and Economic Security

This report examines the educational, career, and economic effects of intimate partner violence by presenting findings from a survey of 164 survivors developed by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and administered at transitional housing programs, shelters, and other domestic violence programs in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

By Cynthia Hess, Ph.D. and Alona Del Rosario|October 24, 2018|Report|

Sexual Harassment and Assault at Work: Understanding the Costs

Through a review of the current literature on sexual harassment and assault, this briefing paper highlights how workplace sexual harassment and assault affect women’s economic advancement and security, and the costs of these harms to employers (including estimates of financial losses where available). It also provides recommendations for preventing sexual harassment and reducing the negative effects of harassment for individuals and workplaces.

By Elyse Shaw, Ariane Hegewisch and Cynthia Hess, Ph.D.|October 15, 2018|Briefing Paper|

Women Only Pre-Apprenticeship Programs: Meeting Skills Needs and Creating Pathways to Good Jobs for Women

The average salary for someone who completed an apprenticeship is $60,000 per year. The average salary of an electrician (the most common apprenticeship) on completion of an apprenticeship is $23 per hour; for a 40-hour week this translates to $920, substantially higher than the median weekly earnings for a worker with an Associate degree (of $836 in 2017).