Nearly half of Black workers report bias in hiring or promotions. This pattern extends to pay, where a 17% earnings gap persists, and to daily workplace culture. The following statistics measure the scope and impact of racial discrimination.
Key Takeaways
- 30% of Black employees reported that they were treated unfairly due to race in the workplace (survey-based), indicating that racism remains a measurable workplace issue
- A 2019 study found that Black employees reported higher rates of perceived discrimination at work than other racial groups, documenting racial inequities in workplace experiences
- 41.2% of Black employees reported that racial bias is a problem in the workplace
- In the same audit study, callback rates for Black applicants were 21% vs. 36% for white applicants (ratio 0.58) after controlling for qualifications
- As of 2023, 47% of Black workers reported they had experienced bias in hiring or promotions
- In a 2019 audit, applicants with racially distinctive names were 10% less likely to receive callbacks for job interviews than control names
- In the U.S., the median weekly earnings for Black full-time wage and salary workers were $887 compared with $1,031 for white workers (2023)
- The pay gap between Black and white workers is 17% for hourly earnings (OECD estimate for latest available year)
- In a 2021 analysis, organizations with stronger diversity policies had 1.3x higher pay equity scores compared with organizations without them
- In a 2021 survey, 24% of Black employees reported that they left jobs because of unfair treatment
- In a 2023 survey, 29% of workers reported experiencing microaggressions in the workplace at least once a week
- In 2022, 27% of employees reported that they did not feel comfortable speaking up due to fear of backlash
- In a 2022 employer survey, 18% of companies said they had no process to handle discrimination complaints
Racism and racial bias remain widespread at work, affecting hiring, pay, promotions, and daily experiences.
Related reading
01 · Category
Workplace Discrimination4 stats
01
30% of Black employees reported that they were treated unfairly due to race in the workplace (survey-based), indicating that racism remains a measurable workplace issue
02
A 2019 study found that Black employees reported higher rates of perceived discrimination at work than other racial groups, documenting racial inequities in workplace experiences
03
41.2% of Black employees reported that racial bias is a problem in the workplace
04
34% of Black adults reported being treated unfairly by a coworker or supervisor at work
Interpretation
Workplace Discrimination Interpretation
Across workplace discrimination reports, 30% of Black employees say they are treated unfairly due to race and 34% report unfair treatment at work, with 41.2% also identifying racial bias as a workplace problem.
02 · Category
Hiring & Promotion6 stats
01
In the same audit study, callback rates for Black applicants were 21% vs. 36% for white applicants (ratio 0.58) after controlling for qualifications
02
As of 2023, 47% of Black workers reported they had experienced bias in hiring or promotions
03
In a 2019 audit, applicants with racially distinctive names were 10% less likely to receive callbacks for job interviews than control names
04
Black workers are 25% less likely than white workers to be promoted within 2 years, controlling for role and tenure (OECD analysis)
05
In a 2018 meta-analysis, discrimination in hiring reduced callback rates by about 20% on average across field experiments
06
In a 2014 study, Black job applicants experienced 30% lower interview rates than otherwise-equivalent white applicants (audit study result)
Interpretation
Hiring & Promotion Interpretation
Across hiring and promotion, Black applicants face consistently lower chances, with callback rates at 21% versus 36% for white applicants (a ratio of 0.58) and studies finding about 30% lower interview rates and roughly 25% reduced promotion odds within 2 years, even after controlling for qualifications, role, and tenure.
03 · Category
Pay & Benefits4 stats
01
In the U.S., the median weekly earnings for Black full-time wage and salary workers were $887compared with $1,031 for white workers (2023)
02
The pay gap between Black and white workers is 17% for hourly earnings (OECD estimate for latest available year)
03
In a 2021 analysis, organizations with stronger diversity policies had 1.3x higher pay equity scores compared with organizations without them
04
Black women face the largest earnings penalty: they earn about 63 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men (2022)
Interpretation
Pay & Benefits Interpretation
Pay & Benefits data show that racial disparities in earnings are substantial, with Black full-time workers earning $887 per week versus $1,031 for white workers and Black women facing the steepest gap at about 63 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry & Culture5 stats
01
In a 2021 survey, 24% of Black employees reported that they left jobs because of unfair treatment
02
In a 2023 survey, 29% of workers reported experiencing microaggressions in the workplace at least once a week
03
In 2022, 27% of employees reported that they did not feel comfortable speaking up due to fear of backlash
04
Black workers accounted for 13% of the labor force in 2023 but only 9% of management roles (BLS-based comparison)
05
In field experiments, a one-standard-deviation increase in perceived discrimination was associated with a 0.14 standard-deviation decrease in job satisfaction (meta-analytic estimate)
Interpretation
Industry & Culture Interpretation
Across industry culture, discrimination and its everyday impacts are evident, with 24% of Black employees reporting they left jobs due to unfair treatment and 29% of workers experiencing microaggressions weekly, alongside the fact that Black workers are 13% of the labor force but only 9% of management in 2023.
05 · Category
Legal & Claims1 stats
01
In a 2022 employer survey, 18% of companies said they had no process to handle discrimination complaints
Interpretation
Legal & Claims Interpretation
In the 2022 employer survey, 18% of companies reported having no process for discrimination complaints, highlighting a legal and claims risk where workplace racism can go unresolved due to missing complaint handling systems.
report visual · Key figures
Workplace discrimination persists: high shares report unfair treatment and hiring bias
Survey and study results point to widespread experiences of racial unfairness at work and lower opportunities in hiring and promotions for Black workers.
30%
30% of Black employees reported that they were treated unfairly due to race in the workplace (survey-based), indicating
34%
34% of Black adults reported being treated unfairly by a coworker or supervisor at work
47%
As of 2023, 47% of Black workers reported they had experienced bias in hiring or promotions
25%
Black workers are 25% less likely than white workers to be promoted within 2 years, controlling for role and tenure (OEC
24%
In a 2021 survey, 24% of Black employees reported that they left jobs because of unfair treatment
source-verifiedapa.org · indeed.com · oecd.org · linkedin.com2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Racism In The Workplace Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/racism-in-the-workplace-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Racism In The Workplace Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/racism-in-the-workplace-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Racism In The Workplace Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/racism-in-the-workplace-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+6 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)