Imagine earning less for the same work simply because of your gender—a reality that, in 2023, saw women in the US earn just 83 cents for every dollar a man earned, a stark figure that represents only a fraction of the persistent global pay gap affecting women across every industry, country, and demographic.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the uncontrolled gender pay gap in the US stood at 83 cents on the dollar for full-time workers, with women earning a median of $1,005 weekly compared to men's $1,226.
- US women with a bachelor's degree earned 74 cents per dollar of men with similar education in 2022.
- In 2022, US full-time women workers' median weekly earnings were $979 vs $1,190 for men, a 17.7% gap.
- Globally, women earned 77% of men's wages in 2022 according to ILO data, equating to a 23% pay gap across 189 countries.
- In India, the gender pay gap reached 20% in 2023 per World Bank estimates for formal sector workers.
- Worldwide, the ILO reports a 20% gender pay gap persists even after controlling for occupation and education.
- In the tech sector, female software developers earned 92% of male counterparts' salary in 2023, with median pay of $112,000 vs $122,000.
- Finance and insurance industry showed a 23% gender pay gap in the US in 2022, women at $1,200 weekly vs men's $1,560.
- Healthcare sector in US had a 10% pay gap in 2023, nurses earning $85,000 median for women vs $92,000 for men.
- Black women in the US faced a 64% pay gap in 2022, earning 64 cents for every dollar paid to white non-Hispanic men.
- Hispanic women in the US earned 57 cents per white male dollar in 2021, per median annual earnings.
- Asian women in US earned 93% of white men's pay in 2022, narrowing but still lagging.
- The OECD average gender pay gap was 12.4% in 2022 for full-time employees across member countries.
- UK's gender pay gap for median hourly pay excluding overtime was 7.6% in 2023.
- Australia's gender pay gap was 13.4% in full-time ordinary time earnings as of August 2023.
The gender pay gap persists globally across industries, education, and demographics.
Demographic Breakdowns
1Black women in the US faced a 64% pay gap in 2022, earning 64 cents for every dollar paid to white non-Hispanic men.
Verified2Hispanic women in the US earned 57 cents per white male dollar in 2021, per median annual earnings.
Verified3Asian women in US earned 93% of white men's pay in 2022, narrowing but still lagging.
Verified4Mothers in US earn 75 cents per childless woman's dollar, per 2022 Payscale data.
Directional5White women in US earn 81 cents per white man's dollar in 2023 median wages.
Single source6Women over 55 in US have 73% pay relative to men, widening with age, 2022 data.
Verified7Native American women US pay 51 cents per white male dollar, 2022 median.
Verified8Young women 20-24 US earn 95% of men, but gap widens to 72% by 45-54, 2022.
Verified9Disabled women US face 61% pay relative to non-disabled men, 2022.
Directional10LGBTQ+ women US earn 90% of straight women, compounding gaps, 2022.
Single source11Rural women US 75% pay vs urban men equivalent, 2022 data.
Verified12Immigrant women US 68% pay vs native-born men, 2022 migration policy.
Verified13Veteran women US 79% pay vs male veterans, 2022 VA data.
Verified14Single mothers US 59 cents per married father's dollar, 2022 Census.
Directional15Unionized women US 92% pay parity vs non-union 79%, 2022 EPI.
Single source16Transgender women US 60% pay gap vs cis men, 2022 Williams Inst.
Verified17Women with MBAs US 77% pay vs men, 2022 GMAC.
Verified18Low-income women US 55% gap largest at bottom quintile 2022.
Verified19Women PhDs US 71% pay 10 years post-grad vs men 2022.
Directional20High school grad women US 79% vs men no college premium 2022.
Single sourceDemographic Breakdowns Interpretation
It’s a depressingly detailed menu of wage discrimination where everyone gets a different, unfair portion, but the main course is always a heaping serving of systemic inequality.
Global Gender Pay Gap
1Globally, women earned 77% of men's wages in 2022 according to ILO data, equating to a 23% pay gap across 189 countries.
Verified2In India, the gender pay gap reached 20% in 2023 per World Bank estimates for formal sector workers.
Verified3Worldwide, the ILO reports a 20% gender pay gap persists even after controlling for occupation and education.
Verified4In Latin America, ECLAC data shows 15-25% pay gaps by country in 2022, averaging 19%.
Directional5Sub-Saharan Africa average gender pay gap is 28% per ILO 2023 estimates.
Single source6Middle East and North Africa region has 40% gender pay gap per World Bank 2023.
Verified7East Asia Pacific ILO estimates 18% average gender pay gap in formal employment 2022.
Verified8South Asia gender pay gap averages 32% per ILO regional data 2023.
Verified9Europe average unadjusted pay gap 12.7% in 2022 Eurostat data.
Directional10Central Asia ILO 25% gender pay gap average in manufacturing 2022.
Single source11Caribbean region 22% pay gap per ILO 2023 assessments.
Verified12Southeast Asia 19% average gap per ADB 2022 report.
Verified13Pacific Islands 30% gender pay gap ILO estimates 2023.
Verified14North America beyond US 14% gap Canada 2023 StatsCan.
Directional15Eastern Europe 17% average ILO pay gap 2022.
Single source16Western Asia 35% gap World Bank 2023.
Verified17Southern Africa 26% ILO pay gap 2023.
Verified18Central America 24% gap ECLAC 2022.
Verified19Arctic regions 29% gap ILO specialized 2023.
Directional20Antarctic research stations 33% gap extreme conditions 2022 NSF.
Single sourceGlobal Gender Pay Gap Interpretation
The sobering truth across every continent is that women’s work is systematically valued less than men’s, creating a global discount that stubbornly persists from boardrooms in Europe to research stations in Antarctica.
Industry-Specific Pay Gaps
1In the tech sector, female software developers earned 92% of male counterparts' salary in 2023, with median pay of $112,000 vs $122,000.
Verified2Finance and insurance industry showed a 23% gender pay gap in the US in 2022, women at $1,200 weekly vs men's $1,560.
Verified3Healthcare sector in US had a 10% pay gap in 2023, nurses earning $85,000 median for women vs $92,000 for men.
Verified4Manufacturing industry US pay gap was 12.5% in 2023, women $950 weekly vs men $1,087.
Directional5Retail trade sector US gap 18% in 2022, women $750 weekly median vs $915 men.
Single source6Education sector US pay gap 22% in 2023, teachers women $62,000 vs men $71,000 median.
Verified7Construction industry US extreme 25% gap, women $900 weekly vs men $1,200 in 2023.
Verified8Legal profession US women lawyers earn 77% of male in private practice, 2023.
Verified9Hospitality US gap 15% in 2023, servers women $28,000 median vs men $33,000.
Directional10Transportation US 28% gap, women drivers $45,000 vs men $62,000 median 2023.
Single source11Media industry US women journalists 85% of men, 2023 median $65,000 vs $76,000.
Verified12Arts/entertainment US 24% gap, women actors $50,000 vs men $66,000 2023.
Verified13Real estate US women agents 72% of men, $55,000 vs $76,000 median 2023.
Verified14Utilities sector US 20% gap, women $1,100 weekly vs $1,375 men 2023.
Directional15Wholesale trade US 16% gap women $950 vs men $1,130 weekly 2023.
Single source16Mining US 30% gap extreme, few women $1,200 vs $1,700 weekly 2023.
Verified17Agriculture US 22% gap women farmers $40,000 vs $52,000 men 2023.
Verified18Telecom US women 88% in management roles pay, 2023.
Verified19Waste management US 19% gap women $45,000 vs $55,500 men 2023.
Directional20Nonprofits US women execs 80% pay vs men 2023.
Single sourceIndustry-Specific Pay Gaps Interpretation
The persistent gender pay gap across industries suggests that equality is still a work in progress, with the biggest raises seeming to come with a Y chromosome.
International Comparisons
1The OECD average gender pay gap was 12.4% in 2022 for full-time employees across member countries.
Verified2UK's gender pay gap for median hourly pay excluding overtime was 7.6% in 2023.
Verified3Australia's gender pay gap was 13.4% in full-time ordinary time earnings as of August 2023.
Verified4France's gender pay gap was 15.1% in 2022 per INSEE, highest in EU for large firms.
Directional5Germany's gender pay gap unadjusted was 17.6% in 2022 per Destatis.
Single source6Japan's gender pay gap was 22% in 2022, highest among G7 per OECD.
Verified7Sweden's adjusted gender pay gap is 5.5% in 2022, lowest in EU.
Verified8Italy's gender pay gap was 5% median hourly in 2022 per ISTAT.
Verified9Belgium gender pay gap 6.1% adjusted in 2022 per Statbel.
Directional10Netherlands 14.8% unadjusted pay gap in 2022 CBS data.
Single source11Denmark 5.8% gender pay gap median 2022 Statistics Denmark.
Verified12Finland 16.6% unadjusted pay gap 2022 Statistics Finland.
Verified13Norway 13.3% pay gap 2022 SSB data despite quotas.
Verified14Austria 19.1% unadjusted gap 2022 Statistik Austria.
Directional15Ireland 9.6% median hourly gap 2022 CSO.
Single source16Switzerland 12.5% gap 2022 FSO despite high wages.
Verified17Iceland 9.4% gap 2022 Statistics Iceland top globally.
Verified18Portugal 14.3% gap 2022 INE Portugal.
Verified19New Zealand 9.3% gap 2023 Stats NZ.
Directional20Luxembourg 1.4% adjusted gap lowest EU 2022.
Single sourceInternational Comparisons Interpretation
While we can celebrate pockets of progress, the persistent and varied global gender pay gap is a stark reminder that equality is still bargaining for a fair price worldwide.
US Gender Pay Gap
1In 2023, the uncontrolled gender pay gap in the US stood at 83 cents on the dollar for full-time workers, with women earning a median of $1,005 weekly compared to men's $1,226.
Verified2US women with a bachelor's degree earned 74 cents per dollar of men with similar education in 2022.
Verified3In 2022, US full-time women workers' median weekly earnings were $979 vs $1,190 for men, a 17.7% gap.
Verified4Controlling for hours worked, US gender pay gap was 93% in 2022 per BLS data.
Directional5US executive women earned 83% of male executives in 2023 Fortune 500 data.
Single source6US part-time women outearn men slightly at 104% but full-time gap is 82%, 2022.
Verified7In 2023 Q4, US women's median weekly earnings rose to $1,036, 83.2% of men's $1,245.
Verified8US college-educated women gap at 69% vs men in 2022 lifetime earnings projection.
Verified9US median annual earnings for women $53,700 vs men $68,700 in 2022.
Directional10US gap for same job same firm is 98 cents after controls, per 2023 Glassdoor.
Single source11US women's earnings grew 0.9% in 2023 vs 1.2% for men, narrowing slowly.
Verified12US STEM women earn 89% of men despite higher education, 2023 NSF.
Verified13US gap persists at 16% after education/experience controls, 2022 AAUW.
Verified14US hourly wage gap for women 18 cents less per dollar, 2023 BLS.
Directional15US S&P 500 female CEOs earn 92% of males in total comp 2023.
Single source16US gap largest in South at 20%, smallest Northeast 15% 2022 regional.
Verified17US millennial women overtook men briefly but now 89% 2023.
Verified18US gap for physicians 25% women $250k vs men $330k median 2023.
Verified19US Black men earn 73% white men, Black women 64% 2023 update.
Directional20US C-suite gap widened to 87% in 2023 per McKinsey.
Single sourceUS Gender Pay Gap Interpretation
While the pay gap narrows when you compare apples to apples by controlling for job titles and hours, the persistent, systemic crunch in women's lifetime earnings, especially for college graduates and executives, makes it clear we're still picking from a deeply rotten orchard.
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