Gender pay gap in the United States

The gender pay gap in the United States is a measure comparing the earnings of men and women in the workforce. According to Pew Research in 2024, women earned 85% as much as men, up from 81% in 2003. However when variables such as hours worked, occupations chosen, and education and job experience are controlled for, the gap diminishes with females earning 95% as much as males. The exact figure varies because different organizations use different methodologies to calculate the gap. The gap varies depending on industry and is influenced by factors such as race and age. The causes of the gender pay gap are debated, but popular explanations include the "motherhood penalty," hours worked, occupation chosen, willingness to negotiate salary, and gender bias.

Surveys of members of the American Economic Association in 2000, 2011, and 2021 found a lack of consensus among professional economists in the United States over the statement: "There are few gender compensation and promotion differentials unexplained by differences in career and/or life choices." While slight majorities generally agreed with the statement in 2000 and 2011 (at 60 percent and 55 percent respectively), 59 percent disagreed in 2021.

Brief history

In the 1860s, people started focusing on unfair pay, with activists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton leading the cause. Susan B. Anthony understood that achieving the right to vote was essential for securing lasting equality for women, as it would prevent them from repeatedly struggling with the same issues. Dedicated to this cause, she tirelessly traveled extensive distances, delivered countless speeches, collected thousands of petition signatures, and organized suffragist efforts to advance the movement for women's suffrage.