Women working full-time year-round in the United States earned $0.82 for every $1 earned by men, leaving an 18% pay gap. The gap across OECD countries averaged 11.6%, while Korea reached 33.6% and France recorded 5.4%. This article compares those benchmarks with data on part-time work, career progression, pay transparency laws, and enforcement.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, women working full-time year-round earned $0.82 for every $1 earned by men in 2023 (equivalently a 18% gender pay gap).
- In France, the unadjusted gender pay gap was 5.4% in 2022 (difference in average hourly wages, overall).
- In the OECD’s 2023 Employment Outlook dataset, the gender wage gap for full-time employees was 11.6% on average across OECD countries (unadjusted).
- The EU Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970) requires pay transparency measures including individuals’ right to information about pay levels; adoption was in 2023 with transposition by 2026.
- The US Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act expanded protections for pay discrimination; the law was passed in 2009 and applies to discriminatory pay decisions that recur (year and legislative effect).
- The Equal Pay Act 1970 (UK) established prohibition on unequal pay between men and women; the Act’s key section 1 addresses equal work or work of equal value (year: 1970).
- In a 2022 OECD study, women in OECD countries were overrepresented in part-time work: 31% of women were in part-time employment vs 10% of men (part-time employment share).
- In the US, women represented 35% of STEM workers in 2021 (women in STEM labor force share).
- In the EU, women accounted for 30.0% of members of boards of large listed companies in 2023 (share).
- In WEF’s 2024 report, the economic participation and opportunity sub-index is 60.9%, implying 39.1% remaining gaps in economic participation and opportunity (sub-index score).
- In the OECD, the gender wage gap decreases by 2.0 percentage points on average in countries with strong pay transparency (comparative effect estimate in OECD synthesis).
- In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 created the statutory framework for equal pay claims; it came into force on 1 October 2010 (law timeline).
- In the European Court of Justice (CJEU) case law, the principle of equal pay for work of equal value derives from Article 157 of TFEU; the treaty article sets the legal basis (measurable legal reference).
- In 2023, the US Department of Labor reported $49.0 million in back wages due to discrimination investigations (gender pay/sex discrimination-related enforcement summary).
- 6.4% the gender pay gap (median gross hourly earnings, unadjusted) in France in 2022 among full-time employees
Despite policies, women still earn less than men, with gaps ranging from 5.4% in France to 33.6% in Korea.
Related reading
01 · Category
Career Progression8 stats
01
In a 2022 OECD study, women in OECD countries were overrepresented in part-time work: 31% of women were in part-time employment vs 10% of men (part-time employment share).
02
In the US, women represented 35% of STEM workers in 2021 (women in STEM labor force share).
03
In the EU, women accounted for 30.0% of members of boards of large listed companies in 2023 (share).
04
In the US, mothers with children under age 18 experience a wage penalty relative to non-mothers of about 5–10%, depending on the specification (maternal wage penalty magnitude).
05
In a meta-analysis, the motherhood penalty is estimated at around 4%–5% lower wages per child on average (maternal penalty estimate).
06
In the US, women held 47% of all management occupations in 2023, but still face pay gaps due to role hierarchy and negotiation dynamics (BLS occupation gender distribution).
07
Women’s share of legal profession in England and Wales was 49% in 2023, yet pay gaps persist due to partnership/advancement differences (Law Society stats).
08
In 2023, women in the UK were 32% of FTSE 100 board chairs/executives meeting certain criteria; overall representation indicates slower advancement that affects pay (board/leadership share).
Interpretation
Career Progression Interpretation
For career progression, the numbers suggest a pipeline problem rather than a simple pay issue, since women make up 47% of management jobs in the US in 2023 and 35% of STEM workers in 2021 but still face a motherhood wage penalty of about 5–10% and an estimated 4%–5% lower wages per child on average.
02 · Category
Labor Force & Pay5 stats
01
In the United States, women working full-time year-round earned $0.82for every $1 earned by men in 2023 (equivalently a 18% gender pay gap).
02
In France, the unadjusted gender pay gap was 5.4% in 2022 (difference in average hourly wages, overall).
03
In the OECD’s 2023 Employment Outlook dataset, the gender wage gap for full-time employees was 11.6% on average across OECD countries (unadjusted).
04
In Japan, the gender wage gap (average hourly earnings) was 24.1% in 2023 for private sector (women vs men).
05
In Korea, the gender wage gap (unadjusted) was 33.6% in 2022, based on the Gender Wage Gap indicator (women’s average wages relative to men’s).
Interpretation
Labor Force & Pay Interpretation
Across the Labor Force and Pay data, the gender pay gap varies widely by country but remains substantial, ranging from 5.4% in France in 2022 to 33.6% in Korea in 2022, while OECD data shows a persistent 11.6% gap for full-time employees on average.
03 · Category
Policy & Interventions5 stats
01
The EU Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970) requires pay transparency measures including individuals’ right to information about pay levels; adoption was in 2023 with transposition by 2026.
02
The US Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act expanded protections for pay discrimination; the law was passed in 2009 and applies to discriminatory pay decisions that recur (year and legislative effect).
03
The Equal Pay Act 1970 (UK) established prohibition on unequal pay between men and women; the Act’s key section 1 addresses equal work or work of equal value (year: 1970).
04
Sweden’s Pay Transparency reporting: employers must report wage survey outcomes every year; the Swedish model requires annual pay mapping (requirement: annual frequency).
05
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires disclosure of gender-related matters including pay gaps and workforce composition for covered companies (reporting requirement tied to ESRS G1/GOV disclosures).
Interpretation
Policy & Interventions Interpretation
Across Policy and Interventions, new and strengthened rules in the EU, UK, US, and Sweden all push employers toward regular pay transparency and equal-pay enforcement, with the EU’s latest directive requiring individuals’ rights to information, Sweden mandating annual pay mapping, and the US Ledbetter Act expanding protections through 2009.
More related reading
04 · Category
Enforcement & Litigation4 stats
01
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 created the statutory framework for equal pay claims; it came into force on 1 October 2010 (law timeline).
02
In the European Court of Justice (CJEU) case law, the principle of equal pay for work of equal value derives from Article 157 of TFEU; the treaty article sets the legal basis (measurable legal reference).
03
In 2023, the US Department of Labor reported $49.0 million in back wages due to discrimination investigations (gender pay/sex discrimination-related enforcement summary).
04
In the EU, Directive 2006/54/EC (Equal Opportunities and Equal Treatment) requires equal pay; it was adopted in 2006 (directive year).
Interpretation
Enforcement & Litigation Interpretation
Under the Enforcement and Litigation angle, the push for equal pay has moved from solid legal foundations in the UK and EU to real financial consequences, as shown by the US Department of Labor reporting $49.0 million in back wages from gender discrimination investigations in 2023.
05 · Category
Discrimination Prevalence2 stats
01
In WEF’s 2024 report, the economic participation and opportunity sub-index is 60.9%, implying 39.1% remaining gaps in economic participation and opportunity (sub-index score).
02
In the OECD, the gender wage gap decreases by 2.0 percentage points on average in countries with strong pay transparency (comparative effect estimate in OECD synthesis).
Interpretation
Discrimination Prevalence Interpretation
Under the Discrimination Prevalence lens, the WEF 2024 report suggests sizable barriers with 39.1% gaps remaining in economic participation and opportunity, while OECD evidence shows the gender wage gap falls by 2.0 percentage points in countries with strong pay transparency, indicating discrimination can be meaningfully reduced but not eliminated.
06 · Category
Industry Overview2 stats
01
6.4% the gender pay gap (median gross hourly earnings, unadjusted) in France in 2022 among full-time employees
02
50% of workers report they would be more likely to apply to companies with pay transparency (survey result)
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
In the Industry Overview context, France’s gender pay gap stood at 6.4% in 2022 while 50% of workers say they would be more likely to apply when companies offer pay transparency, suggesting visibility around pay is increasingly seen as a key lever for closing gaps.
report visual · Key figures
Gender pay gaps: who faces larger differences
Across countries, the unadjusted gender wage gap varies widely, with some jurisdictions reporting substantially higher disparities than the OECD average.
18%
In the United States, women working full-time year-round earned $0.82 for every $1 earned by men in 2023 (equivalently a
11.6%
In the OECD’s 2023 Employment Outlook dataset, the gender wage gap for full-time employees was 11.6% on average across O
5.4%
In France, the unadjusted gender pay gap was 5.4% in 2022 (difference in average hourly wages, overall).
24.1%
In Japan, the gender wage gap (average hourly earnings) was 24.1% in 2023 for private sector (women vs men).
33.6%
In Korea, the gender wage gap (unadjusted) was 33.6% in 2022, based on the Gender Wage Gap indicator (women’s average wa
6.4%
6.4% the gender pay gap (median gross hourly earnings, unadjusted) in France in 2022 among full-time employees
source-verifiedcensus.gov · oecd.org · dares.travail-emploi.gouv.fr · mhlw.go.jp · insee.fr2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Gender Pay Gap Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-pay-gap-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Gender Pay Gap Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gender-pay-gap-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Gender Pay Gap Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gender-pay-gap-statistics.
Sources & references
26 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)