Story perspectives

Wage Gap Widens: Women Earn 80.9% of Men’s Income

9/11/2025

Center

Women’s Wage Decline

In 2024, women earned 80.9% of men's wages, a decrease from 82.7% in 2023.
Black women earned 65 cents for every dollar paid to White men, reflecting a decline.
Median household income remained flat at $83,730, rising less than 3% during the Biden administration.
The poverty rate decreased to 10.6%, affecting 35.9 million people.
Increased child care tax credits are deemed insufficient by advocates amid rising costs.

Left

Workers' Earnings Stagnate

CEO pay at major low-wage employers, such as Walmart and Starbucks, has increased, while worker earnings have stagnated and failed to keep up with inflation.
Many families struggle despite a booming stock market, with low- and middle-income workers not sharing equally in economic growth.
Census data indicates that pandemic-related gains for workers have slowed or stopped, particularly impacting Black and Latino workers.
Women, especially from low-income backgrounds, experience significant wage disparities and face challenges in employment due to high childcare costs.

History

Historical Context

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 sought to address wage disparities, yet by 2024, women earned only 80.9% of men's wages, a decline from 82.7% in 2023. Black women earned just 65 cents for every dollar paid to White men, reflecting systemic inequities. This ongoing wage gap highlights the need for policy reforms to combat persistent inequalities in the labor market.

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Women’s Wage Decline

In 2024, women earned 80.9% of men's wages, a decrease from 82.7% in 2023.
Black women earned 65 cents for every dollar paid to White men, reflecting a decline.
Median household income remained flat at $83,730, rising less than 3% during the Biden administration.
The poverty rate decreased to 10.6%, affecting 35.9 million people.
Increased child care tax credits are deemed insufficient by advocates amid rising costs.

1 / 3