Since
the Equal Pay Act was signed in 1963, the wage gap has
been closing at a very slow rate. In 1963, women who
worked full-time, year-round made 59 cents on average
for every dollar earned by men. In 2010, women earned 77 cents to men's dollar. That means that the wage gap
has narrowed by less than half a cent per year!
Over the past 40 years, the real median
earnings of women have fallen short by an estimated
$700,000 to $2 million.
Economist Evelyn Murphy, president of The Wage Project, estimates that over a lifetime (47 years of full-time work) this gap amounts to a loss in wages for a woman of
- $700,000 for a high school graduate
- $1.2 million for a college graduate
- $2 million for a professional school graduate.
Based on its research, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research estimated in 2015 that women won’t receive equal pay until 2059.
|
 |
| The
Wage Gap Over Time |
| Updated September 2020 |
Year
Women's Men's Dollar
Percent
Earnings
Earnings Difference |
| 2019 $47,299 $57,456 $10,157 82 |
| 2018 $45,097 $55,291 $10,194 81.6** |
| 2017 $41,977 $52,146 $10,169 80.5% |
| 2016 $41,554 $51,640 $10,086 80.5% |
| 2015 $40,742 $51,212 $10,470 79.6% |
| 2014 $39,621 $50,383 $10,762 78.6% |
| 2013 $39,157 $50,033 $10,876 78.3% |
| 2012 $37,791 $49,398 $11,607 76.5% |
| 2011 $37,118 $48,202 $11,084 77.0% |
| 2010 $36,931 $47,715 $10,784 77.4% |
| 2009 $36,278 $47,127 $10,849 77.0% |
| 2008 $35,745 $46,367 $10,622 77.1% |
| 2007 $35,102 $45,113 $10,011 77.8% |
| 2006 $32,515 $42,261 $9,476 76.9% |
| 2005 $31,858 $41,386 $9,528 77.0% |
| 2004* $32,285 $42,160 $9,875 76.6% |
| 2003 $30,724
$40,668 $9,944
75.5% |
| 2002 $30,203 $39,429 $9,226 76.6% |
| 2001
$29,215 $38,275
$9,060 76.3% |
| 2000
$27,355 $37,339
$9,984 73.3%
|
| 1999
$27,208 $37,701
$10,493 72.2%
|
| 1998 $27,290
$37,296 $10,006 73.2%
|
| 1997
$26,720
$36,030 $9,310
74.2% |
| 1996
$25,919
$35,138 $9,219
73.8% |
| 1995
$25,260
$35,365 $10,105 71.4%
|
| 1994
$25,558 $35,513
$9,955
72.0% |
| 1993
$25,579 $35,765
$10,186 71.5%
|
| 1992
$25,791 $36,436
$10,645 70.8%
|
| 1991
$25,457 $36,440
$10,983 69.9%
|
| 1990
$25,451 $35,538
$10,087 71.6%
|
| 1989
$25,310 $36,855
$11,545 66.0%
|
| 1988
$24,774 $37,509
$12,735 66.0%
|
| 1987
$24,663 $37,389 $12,726
65.2% |
| 1986
$24,479 $38,088 $13,609 64.3%
|
| 1985
$23,978
$37,131 $13,153
64.6% |
| 1984
$23,453
$36,842 $13,389
63.7% |
| 1983
$22,961
$36,106 $13,055
63.6% |
| 1982
$22,367
$36,224 $13,857
61.7% |
| 1981
$21,830 $36,854 $15,024 59.2%
|
| 1980
$22,279
$37,033 $14,754
60.2% |
| 1979
$22,446
$37,622 $15,176
59.7% |
| 1978
$22,617
$38,051 $15,005
59.4% |
| 1977
$21,743
$36,901 $15,158
58.9% |
| 1976
$21,738
$36,114 $14,376 60.2%
|
| 1975
$21,297
$36,207 $14,910 58.8%
|
| 1974
$21,419
$36,456 $15,037
58.8% |
| 1973
$21,397
$37,381 $15,984
56.6% |
| 1972
$21,185
$36,614 $15,429
57.9% |
| 1971
$20,691
$34,771 $14,080
59.5% |
| 1970
$20,567
$34,642 $14,075
59.4% |
| 1969
$20,156 $34,241
$14,085 58.9%
|
| 1968
$18,836 $32,389 $13,553 58.2%
|
| 1967
$18,241
$31,568 $13,327
57.8% |
| 1966
$17,874 $31,055 $13,181 57.6%
|
| 1965
$17,852
$29,791 $11,939
59.9% |
| 1964
$17,368
$29,362 $11,994 59.1%
|
| 1963
$16,908
$28,684 $11,776 58.9%
|
| 1962
$16,587
$27,972 $11,385 59.3%
|
| 1961
$16,272 $27,463 $11,191 59.2%
|
| 1960
$16,144 $26,608 $10,464 60.7%
|
Note: Earnings
in current and 2000 CPI-U-RS adjusted dollars.
**The U.S. Census Bureau adjusted their pay data methodology for this year (2018 data) changing the reported gap, but this does not reflect a real change in America. The gap is not statistically different from last year.
* 2004 data revised to reflect a correction to the weights in the 2005 ASEC.
Source:
Census Bureau reports and data, Current Population Reports, Median
Earning of Workers 15 Years Old and Over by Work
Experience and Sex. |
|
