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The pay gap between women and men widened last year, analysis finds
Women earned 18.6% less per hour than men in 2025, with Black women earning just 68.3% of white men’s median wages, Economic Policy Institute reported.
- The Economic Policy Institute reported Thursday that women last year earned 18.6% less per hour, slightly more than in 2024, ahead of March 26, 2026.
- The institute found occupational differences, societal norms, and the devaluation of women’s work drive much of the gender pay gap, which narrows among lower-wage workers due to minimum wages creating a wage floor.
- Among the most striking findings, the report shows Black women earn only 68.3% of white men’s median wages, a $9.87 per hour gap translating to roughly $20,500 annually, while women with graduate degrees often earn less than men with college degrees.
- The institute recommended a package of state-level policy changes, but conservative lawmakers and private employers argued those measures could reduce workforces or raise prices.
- The Economic Policy Institute drew on federal data sets and independent research, saying closing pay gaps by gender and race and ethnicity requires policy solutions on multiple fronts.
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23 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources23
Leaning Left18Leaning Right2Center0Last UpdatedBias Distribution90% Left
Bias Distribution
- 90% of the sources lean Left
90% Left
L 90%
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