The gender pay gap in U.S. has narrowed over the past two decades — but only slightly, according to Pew Research Center.
Data analysis shows that women used to earn 65% of what men made in 1982. As of 2024, they earn 85% of what men make.
Pew analyzed the median hourly earnings of part-time and full-time workers, aged 16 and up, care of IPUMS Current Population Survey.
One interesting finding is that the wage gap is narrowest for a younger cohort of workers: those aged 25 to 34. Women in this age range used to make 74% of what men made in 1982; as of 2024, they make 95% of what men make.
Why has the gender wage gap endured?
According to researchers Carolina Aragão and Richard Fry, who published their analysis on March 4, women “continue to be overrepresented in lower-paying occupations” compared to their relative presence in the workforce.
From a skills-based perspective, “educational attainment, occupational segregation and work experience” factor into the gender wage gap.
“The narrowing of the gap over the long term is attributable in large part to gains women have made in each of these dimensions,” researchers wrote.
The state of women at work in 2025
Culturally speaking, DEI has been on the chopping block since late 2023 and early 2024, putting those investments at risk.
Last year, a report by LeanIn and McKinsey and Co. found that fewer companies were providing resources to women; this included offerings such as formal sponsorships, internships and women-focused recruiting programs.
Those lukewarm sentiments about prioritizing learning, development and inclusion for women and other marginalized workers came to fruition in an onslaught of DEI rollbacks first prevalent in summer 2024, extending to the present under a new federal administration.
Most recently, Paramount tabled aspirational hiring goals and vowed to stop collecting demographic data about its workers — the latter often crucial for merit-based performance reviews and promotions, one expert told HR Dive.
How AI factors into the gender wage gap
Moreover, tech experts worry that the AI gold rush will leave women behind.
U.K. data shows that jobs asking for AI skills earned a 23% wage premium over roles that required degrees. This was true up until the doctorate degree level, according to the Oxford Internet Institute.
But a report from Coursera shows that 45% of men said they find generative AI useful for advancing their careers, compared to 36% of women.
Meanwhile, in an Amazon Web Services report, 75% of women surveyed by Morning Consult said they were familiar with generative AI — but only 6% of them felt like AI experts. A report from Randstad also underscored the gender gap in AI upskilling.
Apart from demographic pay audits, employers have an opportunity to equip women workers with the skills needed to advance their careers. According to the experts, that’s one way that the gender wage gap can continue to narrow across the board.
