Women in the United States who work full time, year-round are typically paid only 81 cents for every dollar paid to men. This gap in earnings translates into $13,570 less per year in median earnings, leaving women and their families shortchanged when they need every dollar to make ends meet. Since the passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963 and other civil rights laws, the gender wage gap had been gradually narrowing. However, the data shows the wage gap widened from women being paid 84 cents for every dollar paid to men in 2022 to 83 in 2023 and has lowered further to 81 cents in 2024, the most recent data available. This widening marks the first statistically significant decline in the wage gap in two decades. Efforts to address pay disparities are critical for the economic security of women and their families.
