The Status of Women in the States project ranks and grades Maine across several areas of women’s lives. While Maine performs better in some areas, no matter the rank, there are still barriers and inequities that prevent women from succeeding and thriving. Across all indices, Maine ranks toward the top of states in the country. Maines’s performance is the strongest on the Political Participation and Reproductive Rights indices. Maines’s performance is weakest on the Employment and Earnings and the Health and Well-Being indices.
Explore the Data
As state policies and programs have changed over the years, so has the status of women in Maine. Since 1996, Maine has made progress in some areas, while lagging in others.
Articles and Publications
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 [...]
Gender and Racial Wage Gaps Worsened in 2023 and Pay Equity Still Decades Away
In 2023, women working full-time year-round made 82.7 cents per dollar earned by men (a wage gap of 17.3 percent), a significant worsening of the earnings ratio compared to 84.0 cents per dollar in 2022 (a wage gap of 16.0 percent). Read more from [...]
