Publications
STATES THAT BAN ABORTION COST THE US ECONOMY $61 BILLION ANNUALLY
We all know reproductive rights—including accessible abortion care—are essential to women’s full participation in society. Less talked about is the impact these draconian laws have on the health of the national economy, where women are half of the workforce. IWPR’s analysis measures the staggering costs [...]
New IWPR Analysis Reveals Economic Harm of State Abortion Bans and Impact on Women’s Workforce Participation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 30, 2024 Contact: William Lutz 202-785-5100 New IWPR Analysis Reveals Economic Harm of State Abortion Bans Severe Restrictions Harm State Economies and Women’s Workforce Participation Washington, DC—The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) today released a new analysis detailing the [...]
Abortion Bans Hurt State Economies
States that restrict abortion tend to have lower GDP per capita. Economists use gross domestic product (GDP) per capita to measure the size of state economies, with a real national average of $67,000 in 2023. This approach adjusts for the number of people in [...]
The Economic and Workforce Impact of Restrictive Abortion Laws
This report examines the far-reaching economic effects of the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned Roe v. Wade and gave states the authority to ban abortion. By 2023, nearly half of the 49.5 million prime working-age women in [...]
Gender Disparities in Associate’s Degrees by Field of Study and Implications for Future Earnings
Research from IWPR shows how gender disparities in associate's degree attainment impact earnings. Women are more likely to earn degrees in fields with lower wages, and this updated fact sheet explores the latest data from the US Department of Education, examining trends in associate’s [...]
Latinas Won’t Reach Pay Equity with White Men Until 2198
The recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic crisis resulted in a tight labor market in which many workers gained through switching jobs and finding higher earnings. However, Latina women workers were hit hardest and are still facing lower labor force participation than before the [...]








