32 2009 Illinois Workforce: Women & Minorities
Wage Gap for Women by Race-Ethnicity
Figure 21 shows a clear gender wage gap by all race-ethnicities (relative to white males)
in the United States.
Figure 21. U.S. Women's Median Weekly Earnings
as Percentage of White Men's, 1988-2008
(full-time, full-year workers)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
earnings ratio
White women
African/Am women
Hispanic women
Figure 21:
- In 2008, the median weekly wage for white women was 79%, for African
American women 67%, and for Hispanic women 60% of the median weekly wage
for white men. 64
- White women continue to fare the best in pay equity. Since 1988, their median
weekly wage was at least 68% of the median weekly wage for white men.
- For the past two decades, the median weekly wage for African American women
has been between 62% and 67% of the median weekly wage earned by white
men. Historically, Hispanic women have fared the worst in pay equity, earning a
median weekly wage of 56% to 60% of that earned by white men.
64 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, “Highlights of Women’s Earnings, Median Usual
Weekly Earnings of Full-Time Wage and Salary Workers in Current Dollars by Sex, Race and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, 1979-
2008 Annual Averages,” (Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Labor Statistics). Available at http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswom2007.pdf
