Here's How Long Women Have to Work to Earn the Same as Men
A woman has to work about 14.5 months to earn the same as a man in 12 months. On Equal Pay Day, we look at how much women earn as a percentage of men's income.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Tuesday is Equal Pay Day, according to the National Committee on Pay Equity. This date symbolizes how many months into a year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. This year, Equal Pay Day lands on March 12. That means the average woman working full-time has to work about two and a half months more than the average man to earn what he earned last year.
Women earn 84 cents for every dollar men make
“Women’s labor force participation is the highest it has been in decades, and the gender pay gap is the narrowest it has ever been on record. Yet, despite this progress, the fight for equal pay continues,” according to the Proclamation on National Equal Pay Day, 2024 during the Biden Administration.
And although the actual wage gap between men and women generally widens or narrows depending on your level of education, age, occupation, tenure, race and ethnicity, it is so much more than just a paycheck. It also sheds light on equal opportunity, dignity and fairness in the workplace.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Occupations and median earnings
The Census Bureau's report on Equal Pay Day and women in the workplace looks at different examples of occupations and median earnings over the past 12 months. Here are some of the standout findings.
Occupation | Median Earnings Estimate-Male | Median Earnings Estimate-Female | Women’s earnings as % of men's earnings |
Healthcare Support Occupations | $39,160 | $34,691 | 88.60% |
Computer and Mathematical Occupations | $103,298 | $87,509 | 84.70% |
Legal Occupations | $150,658 | $80.673 | 53.50% |
Community and Social Services | $54,946 | $53,745 | 97.80% |
Management | $99,144 | $76,066 | 76.70% |
Equal Pay Act of 1963
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 requires that men and women in the same workplace receive equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be identical but must be substantially equal based on job content, not job titles.
This law covers all forms of pay, including salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and bonus plans, life insurance, vacation, and more. If wages are equal between men and women, employers may not reduce the wages of either sex to equalize their pay.
Paycheck Fairness Act
“We are making tremendous progress, but there is still much more we must do, President Biden said in the Proclamation. “My Administration continues to call on Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act — commonsense legislation that would increase pay transparency and give workers more tools to fight sex-based pay discrimination.”
Related Content
-
The Cost of Leaving Your Money in a Low-Rate AccountWhy parking your cash in low-yield accounts could be costing you, and smarter alternatives that preserve liquidity while boosting returns.
-
I want to sell our beach house to retire now, but my wife wants to keep it.I want to sell the $610K vacation home and retire now, but my wife envisions a beach retirement in 8 years. We asked financial advisers to weigh in.
-
How to Add a Pet Trust to Your Estate PlanAdding a pet trust to your estate plan can ensure your pets are properly looked after when you're no longer able to care for them. This is how to go about it.
