Gender pay gap in the United States
| This article is part of a series on |
| Income in the United States of America |
|---|
| United States portal |
The gender pay gap in the United States is a measure comparing the earnings of men and women in the workforce. The average female annual earnings is around 80% of the average male's. When variables such as hours worked, occupations chosen, and education and job experience are controlled for, the gap diminishes with females earning 95% as much as males. The exact figure varies because different organizations use different methodologies to calculate the gap. The gap varies depending on industry and is influenced by factors such as race and age. The causes of the gender pay gap are debated, but popular explanations include the "motherhood penalty," hours worked, occupation chosen, willingness to negotiate salary, and gender bias.
Surveys of members of the American Economic Association in 2000, 2011, and 2021 found a lack of consensus among professional economists in the United States over the statement: "There are few gender compensation and promotion differentials unexplained by differences in career and/or life choices." While slight majorities generally agreed with the statement in 2000 and 2011 (at 60 percent and 55 percent respectively), 59 percent disagreed in 2021.