Wage Disparities and Women of Color

Despite efforts to equalize earnings, a persistent wage gap exists between women and men. Recent Census data indicates that women earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. This gap is more pronounced for women of color with Black women earning 61 cents and Hispanic women earning 52 cents for every dollar paid to a white male. The negative impact of the gender-based wage gap is exacerbated for women of color, who face lower lifetime earnings overall, occupational segmentation, and unequal access to assets and other wealth builders.

As more women become primary wage earners for households across the country, eliminating the pay gap becomes even more crucial to sustaining healthy and prosperous communities. Aligning the income distribution with the gender composition of the workforce is particularly needed now in these tough economic times to ensure economic security, opportunity, and prosperity for all.

Read the full issue brief here.