US women earned 84 cents for every dollar men earned in 2023, based on median weekly earnings of $1,005 versus $1,195. The pay gap changes across age groups, education levels, and caregiving roles, including the motherhood penalty. This article breaks down the differences by demographic and workplace factors using the latest available figures.
Key Takeaways
- US women aged 25-34 have 4% pay gap vs 21% for 45-64 in 2022
- In the European Union, the unadjusted gender pay gap averaged 12.7% in 2021
- Globally, women earned 77 cents for every dollar men earned in 2022 per ILO estimates
- US women in computer occupations earned 83% of men's pay in 2022
- In 2023, full-time working women in the United States earned 84 cents for every dollar earned by men, based on median weekly earnings of $1,005 for women versus $1,195 for men
Pay gaps persist, showing women and minority groups often earn less even in similar roles and industries.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographic Factors20 stats
01
US women aged 25-34 have 4% pay gap vs 21% for 45-64 in 2022
02
College-educated US women out-earn men until age 30 then gap widens
03
Black US women with bachelor's earn 65% white men same degree 2021
04
US mothers penalty 4% per child vs fathers premium 2022
05
Married US women earn 4% more than singles but gap persists
06
Rural US women 79 cents vs urban 84 cents to men 2021
07
Immigrant US women 68% pay to native men 2022
08
US women with children under 6 lose 15% earnings 2021
09
High school only US women 72% pay ratio largest gap 2022
10
Unionized US women have 6% smaller gap 2023 BLS
11
Disabled US women 19% larger gap than non-disabled 2021
12
LGBTQ US women 90% pay to straight men adjusted 2022
13
Veteran US women 15% gap vs non-vets 2020 VA
14
US women in South region 81 cents vs Northeast 86 cents 2022
15
Overweight US women face 6% additional pay penalty 2021
16
Single mothers US earn 72% married men 2022 Census
17
US women with PhD 69% pay to men same 2021 NCES
18
Hispanic US women HS grads 55% white men 2021
19
Asian US women college grads 88% Asian men 2022
20
US women 55+ have 78% pay ratio widest by age 2023
Interpretation
Demographic Factors Interpretation
It seems the American workplace is a master of creative accounting, where a woman's paycheck is often discounted through a complex loyalty program of motherhood, geography, and identity, proving that while you can lean in all you want, the floor beneath you is rarely level.
02 · Category
Europe24 stats
01
In the European Union, the unadjusted gender pay gap averaged 12.7% in 2021
02
Germany had a 18% gender pay gap in 2022, highest among large EU economies
03
In France, women earned 15.4% less than men hourly in 2021
04
UK gender pay gap for full-time employees was 7.4% in 2023 median hourly pay
05
Italy's pay gap stood at 5% in 2022, one of the lowest in EU
06
Sweden had an 11.2% adjusted gender pay gap in 2021
07
In the Netherlands, women earned 14% less than men in 2022
08
Belgium's gender pay gap was 6.8% unadjusted in 2021 for companies over 100 employees
09
Estonia had the highest EU pay gap at 20.5% in 2022
10
In Spain, the pay gap narrowed to 11% in 2022 from 18% in 2008
11
Finland's gender pay gap for full-time was 16.6% in 2021
12
Austria reported a 19.5% pay gap in 2022
13
In Poland, women earned 11.5% less hourly than men in 2022
14
Luxembourg had a 1.4% pay gap in 2021, lowest in EU
15
Romania's gender pay gap was 12.5% in 2022
16
In Denmark, the pay gap for top earners was 23% in 2021
17
Greece saw a 12.5% pay gap in 2022 despite economic recovery
18
Portugal's unadjusted gap was 14.3% in 2021
19
Latvia had 17.1% pay gap in 2022
20
In Ireland, women in tech earned 13% less in 2023
21
Cyprus reported 15.4% gender pay gap in 2021
22
Slovenia's pay gap was 7.8% in 2022
23
Bulgaria had 13.1% unadjusted gap in 2021
24
In the EU, women in financial services had 22% pay gap in 2021
Interpretation
Europe Interpretation
The European Union’s persistent gender pay gap reads like a deeply unfair continent-wide salary negotiation where, despite a few conscientious objectors, the message remains clear: women are still being handed a bill for the privilege of working, not a bonus.
03 · Category
Global30 stats
01
Globally, women earned 77 cents for every dollar men earned in 2022 per ILO estimates
02
In low-income countries, gender pay gap averages 29% unadjusted in 2021
03
OECD average gender pay gap was 11.8% in 2022
04
In India, urban women earned 18% less than men in 2022 NSSO survey
05
China's gender pay gap reached 20.8% in urban areas 2021
06
Brazil had 20.2% pay gap in 2022 IBGE data
07
South Africa's women earned 23% less median hourly in 2022
08
In Japan, gender pay gap was 22% in 2022
09
Australia reported 21.7% full-time gender pay gap in 2023
10
Canada's women earned 89 cents per male dollar in 2022 adjusted
11
In Mexico, pay gap was 16.5% in 2021
12
Russia's gender pay gap averaged 28.3% in 2022
13
Indonesia saw 22% pay gap for formal sector women in 2021
14
In Turkey, women earned 15% less in 2022 TurkStat
15
Nigeria's informal sector pay gap estimated at 35% for women 2021
16
In Saudi Arabia, post-reform pay gap narrowed to 25% in 2022
17
Philippines had 10.2% gender pay gap in 2022
18
In Egypt, women earned 32% less than men in 2021 CAPMAS
19
Vietnam's urban pay gap was 13% in 2022 GSO
20
In manufacturing globally, women face 20% pay gap ILO 2022
21
Tech industry worldwide gender pay gap averages 21% in 2023
22
In education sector globally, pay gap is 15% per UNESCO 2022
23
Healthcare worldwide shows 11% gender pay gap for nurses/doctors 2021
24
Finance sector global pay gap 24% for women in 2022
25
In retail globally, women earn 17% less hourly 2022 ILO
26
Construction worldwide has 25% pay gap favoring men 2021
27
Legal profession global pay gap 19% in private practice 2022
28
In media and entertainment, women directors earn 40% less globally 2023
29
Hospitality sector worldwide 18% pay gap 2022
30
Transportation and logistics global gap 22% for women 2021
Interpretation
Global Interpretation
From Tokyo to Toronto, the world has agreed on a universal discount for women's labor, proving that the only thing more consistent than gender roles is the persistent underpayment for performing them.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry and Occupation22 stats
01
US women in computer occupations earned 83% of men's pay in 2022
02
In healthcare diagnosing US, female pay ratio was 75% in 2023
03
Finance US women executives earned 82% of men in banking 2022
04
Retail trade US had 95% pay ratio for women lowest gap 2022 BLS
05
Legal services US women partners 77% pay to men 2023 NALP
06
Manufacturing US women 72% pay ratio 2022
07
Education US female professors 81% of male 2021 AAUP
08
Hospitality US servers women 98% pay near parity 2023
09
Construction US women laborers 91% ratio 2022
10
Arts entertainment US actresses 47% less than actors 2022
11
Transportation US pilots women 84% pay 2023
12
Architecture US women 80% ratio 2022 AIA
13
Pharmaceuticals US sales reps women 88% 2021
14
Advertising US creative directors women 75% 2023
15
Real estate US brokers women 85% median 2022
16
Journalism US women reporters 92% pay 2021
17
Engineering US women 93% highest parity 2022 NSF
18
Insurance US underwriters women 87% 2023 BLS
19
Telecom US managers women 79% 2022
20
Automotive US designers women 76% 2021
21
Women in US protective services earned 85% of men's pay in 2022
22
In global oil & gas, women earn 28% less 2022 Deloitte
Interpretation
Industry and Occupation Interpretation
It appears the pay gap is an inconsistent opportunist, sometimes barely bothering to show up in retail or engineering, but aggressively undercutting women in fields like Hollywood or oil and gas, proving that bias is both a universal constant and a selective miser.
05 · Category
United States30 stats
01
In 2023, full-time working women in the United States earned 84 cents for every dollar earned by men, based on median weekly earnings of $1,005for women versus $1,195 for men
02
Among US workers aged 25-34 in 2022, the gender pay gap narrowed to 92 cents on the dollar for women compared to men
03
Black women in the US earned 64 cents for every dollar paid to white non-Hispanic men in 2022, controlling for job type and hours
04
Hispanic women in the US faced a pay gap of 55 cents on the dollar compared to white men in 2021 median annual earnings
05
In the US management occupations, women earned 73 cents per dollar of men's earnings in 2022
06
US women with a bachelor's degree earned 74 cents for every dollar men with the same degree earned in 2021
07
Mothers in the US lost an estimated $600,000in lifetime earnings due to the motherhood penalty in 2020
08
In 2022, the uncontrolled gender pay gap in the US stood at 16%, down from 36% in 1982
09
Asian women in the US earned 93 cents per dollar of Asian men's earnings but 69% of white men's in 2021
10
US women in professional occupations had a pay ratio of 81% to men in 2023 Q1
11
The pay gap for US women over 65 was 95 cents on the dollar in 2022 due to fewer hours
12
In US tech sector, women earned 84% of men's pay in 2022
13
US female physicians earned $116,000less annually than male counterparts in 2021
14
Women in US finance and insurance earned 78 cents per male dollar in 2022
15
The intersectional pay gap for Native American women in US was 51 cents to white men's dollar in 2020
16
US women without children earned 96 cents per childless man's dollar in 2022
17
In 2023, US full-time female sales workers earned 72% of male counterparts' wages
18
Controlling for occupation and education, US gender pay gap is 7% in 2022
19
US women in STEM fields faced a 14% pay gap in 2021
20
In US legal profession, female lawyers earned 77% of male lawyers' pay in 2022
21
US millennial women saw pay gap widen to 32% from 23% in 2000s per 2023 Payscale report
22
Women in US construction earned 92% of men's pay in 2022, one of the smallest gaps
23
Disabled US women faced 75% pay ratio to non-disabled men in 2021
24
In 2022, US women aged 45-54 had largest pay gap at 79 cents per dollar
25
US female CEOs earned 89% of male CEOs' compensation in S&P 500 firms 2022
26
In US healthcare support, women earned 88% of men's wages in 2023
27
LGBTQ+ women in US earned 73 cents per heterosexual white man's dollar 2021
28
US women with advanced degrees earned 71% of men's with same in 2021
29
In 2022, the pay gap for US part-time women was 79 cents vs full-time men's adjusted
30
US female veterans earned 85% of male veterans' pay in 2020
Interpretation
United States Interpretation
The numbers lay out a progressive and intersectional discount plan where the cost of being a woman, especially a woman of color, a mother, or a professional, is systematically deducted from her paycheck.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Pay Gap Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pay-gap-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Pay Gap Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pay-gap-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Pay Gap Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pay-gap-statistics.
Sources & references
75 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level