November 21 was Native Women’s Equal Pay Day, marking the end of this year’s series of events highlighting the gender wage gap faced by women in various groups. Looking back at IWPR’s research on this critical issue, the data show that, almost across the board, wage gaps worsened for women, marking the first time the gender wage gap has widened significantly in 20 years.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women marked their Equal Pay Day on April 3. While AANHPI women had the lowest wage gap and the highest earnings of the racial/ethnic groups, they still made just 80.1 cents per dollar paid to White men in 2022. Discrimination and harassment in the workplace are contributing factors to this, and despite their overall high levels of education, AANHPI women are particularly underrepresented in management and leadership positions. They are also victims of the stereotype that they face the least amount of discrimination compared to other populations, which hides the true disparities behind their earnings and hinders AANHPI women in the workplace.

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day fell on July 9. In 2023, Black women earned 64.4 cents per dollar paid to White men among all workers with earnings and 66.5 cents on the dollar for those who worked full-time year-round. Black women have the highest rates of labor force participation and full-time work among women but are more likely to be overrepresented in notoriously lower-paid and undervalued fields such as the service sector, which includes care work. This stark reality, coupled with the “double jeopardy” of discrimination in the workplace because of both their race and their gender, makes it difficult for Black women to make serious strides in achieving equal pay.

Mom’s Equal Pay Day was on August 7. Compared to fathers, mothers earned 62.5 cents per dollar in 2022. They are less likely to be hired compared to women without children, and even when working, it is common for mothers to have lower salaries and receive fewer promotions than their counterparts. Considering that the cost of child care has become unaffordable for many families, the child care crisis in the United States plays a large role in mothers’ pay. Overall, mothers are more likely than fathers to decrease working hours or leave employment altogether to care for children because they typically earn less than fathers.

On October 3, we recognized Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day. Latina women had the highest wage gap, meaning the lowest earnings overall among women, at just 48.7 percent. In 2023, Latina women earned just 51.3 cents per dollar paid to White men. Because of the higher likelihood of working on temporary work visas and/or being undocumented, Latina women’s immigration status can hinder their economic situation. A lack of job security for Latina women also affects their pay. Because they were more likely to work in industries hit the hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic, like the service sector, Latina women’s labor force participation recovery from the jobs lost during this time has been an ongoing process that still has a long way to go.

Which brings us to Native Women’s Equal Pay Day, which took place on November 21. Compared to other racial/ethnic groups, this population is understudied and often misunderstood. In 2023, Native American and Alaskan Native women had the second-highest wage gap behind Latina women. Native women made only 52.4 cents per dollar paid to White men, a wage gap of 47.6 percent. The Native population, more broadly, faces a unique set of challenges that contribute to their low earnings. Colonization and assimilation, as well as rural economic constraints, make it difficult for Native women to fully participate in the labor market, as disproportionate care responsibilities and a lack of resources on rural tribal lands have ultimately caused Native women to rely more heavily on their male counterparts for income in the household.

Policy changes like salary transparency and workplace protections are two recommendations for advancing equal pay for women. For some groups, like Latinas, immigration reform would help achieve equal treatment. For other groups, like mothers, increasing federal funding to invest in quality child care and paid leave could immensely aid families. It is time to close the gender pay gap for the benefit of us all.