Ever since the Equal Pay Act was signed in 1963, women have slowly been making strides to close the gender pay gap. Yet according to a 2020 analysis by the Pew Research Center, progress has stalled over the past 15 years, with women's pay rates holding steady at a national average of roughly 84 percent of men's pay. "Based on this estimate, it would take an extra 42 days of work for women to earn what men did in 2020," Pew experts conclude. Women of color face even more striking pay disadvantages, says the National Women's Law Center. Though some of this gap can be explained by measurable factors—including women's higher likelihood to take time off for child care, educational attainment, and occupational segregation—there are also facets of this financial gap that are "more difficult to measure," Pew says. That includes gender discrimination, stereotyping, and weaker job networking opportunities, to name a few.
Of course, it's no secret that while the pay gap persists across the U.S., some states have more inequity than others. That's exactly why the financial site GOBankingRates analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to identify the states with the smallest and largest pay gaps in the U.S. In crunching the numbers, they found that women make less than 70 cents for every dollar a man makes in each of the worst-offending 15 states. Read on to learn which state has the worst gender pay gap—and to find out if your home state is in the hot seat.
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15 Washington
- Median earnings for men: $51,678
- Median earnings for women: $35,768
- Difference: $15,910
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 69.2 percent
14 Montana
- Median earnings for men: $39,676
- Median earnings for women: $27,403
- Difference: $12,273
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 69.1 percent
13 Pennsylvania
- Median earnings for men: $46,301
- Median earnings for women: $31,945
- Difference: $14,356
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 69.0 percent
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12 Illinois
- Median earnings for men: $47,711
- Median earnings for women: $32,914
- Difference: $14,797
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 69.0 percent
11 Iowa
- Median earnings for men: $44,968
- Median earnings for women: $30,725
- Difference: $14,243
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 68.3 percent
10 Rhode Island
- Median earnings for men: $50,015
- Median earnings for women: $33,767
- Difference: $16,248
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 67.5 percent
9 Oklahoma
- Median earnings for men: $40,482
- Median earnings for women: $27,328
- Difference: $13,154
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 67.5 percent
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8 New Hampshire
- Median earnings for men: $51,102
- Median earnings for women: $34,112
- Difference: $16,990
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 66.8 percent
7 Alabama
- Median earnings for men: $41,210
- Median earnings for women: $27,263
- Difference: $13,947
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 66.2 percent
6 West Virginia
- Median earnings for men: $39,878
- Median earnings for women: $25,860
- Difference: $14,018
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 64.8 percent
5 Idaho
- Median earnings for men: $40,484
- Median earnings for women: $26,227
- Difference: $14,257
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 64.8 percent
4 North Dakota
- Median earnings for men: $50,190
- Median earnings for women: $32,305
- Difference: $17,885
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 64.4 percent
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3 Louisiana
- Median earnings for men: $43,605
- Median earnings for women: $26,943
- Difference: $16,662
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 61.8 percent
2 Wyoming
- Median earnings for men: $47,377
- Median earnings for women: $27,361
- Difference: $20,016
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 57.8 percent
1 Utah
- Median earnings for men: $45,834
- Median earnings for women: $26,194
- Difference: $19,640
- Women's earnings as a percentage of men's: 57.1 percent
RELATED: This Is How Much Money People Your Age Make in Your State, Data Shows.
Lauren Gray Lauren Gray is a New York-based writer, editor, and consultant.Read moreFiled UnderFinance • News • State Facts • WomenRead This NextThe Most Expensive Suburb in Your State
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