- A gender pay gap exists, and even more alarming is the pay gap by race.
- Pay transparency plays a key role in achieving gender equality in the workplace.
- Learn about the tools available to check your worth and how you can motivate others to do the same.
Understanding and addressing the causes of the gender pay gap are critical steps toward achieving pay equity. In honor of Equal Pay Day, a public awareness event symbolizing how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year, we’re looking at actions both employees and companies can take to march toward equal pay for equal work.
A new Glassdoor poll found that 66% of female professionals do not believe they’re being paid fairly for the work they do, compared to 59% of male professionals. (Those numbers, for both women and men, are up year-over-year from 2023.) The top three industries where women feel their pay is unfair are:
- Accounting (73%)
- Tech (61%)
- Consulting (58%)
What fuels equal pay issues
For decades, overt workplace biases against women drove much of the gender pay inequity. Today, the main causes are more subtle.
Research and data show that outright discrimination likely isn’t the main cause of today’s overall gender pay gap (though it's still a contributing factor). Today’s factors include things like an increase of men working in care-oriented career fields (sometimes referred to as pink-collar jobs) that are more traditionally held by women and differences in years of experience (e.g. women leaving the workforce for caretaking obligations).
American women in 2022 typically earned 82 cents for each dollar their male counterparts earned, according to the Pew Research Center. That’s only a modest increase over the 2002 rates, when women earned 80 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earned.
The study showed that the gap grows as women age, and additional data show that it expands among women of color, as well.
According to Forbes’ Gender Pay Gap Statistics:
- Women of color are among the lowest-paid workers in rural areas, with rural Black and Hispanic women making just 56 cents for every dollar that rural white, non-Hispanic men make.
- Hispanic women are compensated just 55% of what non-Hispanic white men are paid in 2024.
- Black women are paid 64% of what non-Hispanic white men are paid.
- Native American women are typically paid only 59 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
Understanding pay transparency to reduce the gender pay gap
One solution to address the gender pay gap may be to promote greater pay transparency. This means that everyone can feel empowered to talk about their salaries. Without access to pay data for specific job titles at specific companies, gender inequities could persist undetected for years on employer payrolls.
Embracing salary transparency can help eliminate questionable gender pay gaps in the workplace. Collectively, employees can help one another by talking to their HR departments about listing salary ranges for positions, touting how pay transparency can be a great recruiting and retention tool, and pushing for a gender pay gap audit.
How to know if you’re being underpaid
The wage gap is more than a feeling: Glassdoor research reveals that the average American is being underpaid by 13 percent because more than half of candidates don’t negotiate a better deal. Surveys reveal that women are less likely to negotiate their salaries than men because they fear they’ll be penalized in the long run.
Remember that salary secrecy keeps pay inequality persistent. But by using the right tools and gathering enough information, you can create a strategy to ensure you’re paid fairly for your work.
Here are four ways to help you do just that.
1. Check your target employers’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics on Glassdoor
Seventy-six percent of job seekers and employees identify a diverse workforce as an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers. Glassdoor's Diversity & Inclusion Products help see the data they seek. To help provide deeper insight into a company, candidates can view Diversity & Inclusion ratings, reviews by demographic, and Diversity FAQs across companies.
2. Encourage your company to do a pay transparency audit
Nudge your employer to commit to equitable pay by conducting a self-audit, and lead the effort if you’re in a position to do so. In addition, take a look at the benefits tab on any employer profile on Glassdoor and scroll down to see their values, benefits, and perks. Compare the company’s values to your own.
3. Read through available salary reports
Check Glassdoor and use the Know Your Worth tool to learn what the average salary for your position is in your area and read what current and former employees were paid in the past. For example, you can see that Delta flight attendants report making around $64,000 per year, while Southwest flight attendants report making $61,000 per year. Salary reports are a great way to arm yourself with the right knowledge to push for more money.
4. Ask Community members about their interview and negotiating process
Whether you’re not sure about what salary and benefits questions to ask during the first interview, or you’re curious about how the company typically responds to salary negotiation, Glassdoor Bowls™ are great places for advice. You can get the insight you need through this anonymous and trusted forum.
How to ask for equal pay
Regardless of whether you’re fighting to close the pay gap, or just trying to live more comfortably, most workers struggle with the question, “How do I ask to get paid more?” Asking for more compensation isn’t about requesting a gift or a favor from a company; it’s a quantifiable discussion in which you can outline the value your services bring to your organization
When you’re ready to negotiate for salary and need to know what to say, Glassdoor has you covered. Check out Glassdoor’s articles dedicated to salary negotiation — how to make a case, what to say, what to wear, and even how to follow up if the negotiation doesn’t work in your favor.