"Equal Pay, Equal Play: Closing the Gender Wage Gap"

According to the Pew Research Center, the gender pay gap in the U.S. has remained relatively stable over the past two decades, with women earning about 82% of what men earned in 2022, similar to 80% in 2002. However, the gap is narrower among younger workers (ages 25 to 34), where women earned 92 cents for every dollar earned by men in the same age group. Over the long term, the gap has narrowed, from 35 cents in 1982 to 18 cents in 2022 for all workers.

Factors contributing to the gender pay gap include educational attainment, occupational segregation, and work experience. Despite women's increased presence in higher-paying jobs, they remain overrepresented in lower-paying occupations. Gender discrimination may also play a role.

A Pew Research Center survey indicates that half of U.S. adults believe unequal treatment by employers is a major reason for the pay gap, with differing views between men and women. Additionally, working women, especially mothers, feel significant pressure to manage home responsibilities, while men report more pressure to provide financially.

Overall, men are more likely to hold leadership positions and express a desire to be in such roles compared to women, who are often less likely to aspire to management positions.

Aragão, Carolina. “Gender Pay Gap in U.S. Hasn’t Changed Much in Two Decades.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 1 Mar. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/01/gender-pay-gap-facts/.