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Women's earnings compared to men's earnings in 2014
November 30, 2015
In 2014, women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median usual weekly earnings of $719. Women’s median earnings were 83 percent of those of male full-time wage and salary workers ($871).
Median weekly earnings for women were highest between the ages of 35 and 64. In 2014, there was little or no difference in the earnings of 35- to 44-year-olds ($781), 45- to 54-year-olds ($780), and 55- to 64-year-olds ($780). For men, earnings peaked between the ages of 45 and 64, with 45- to 54-year-olds ($1,011) and 55- to 64-year-olds ($1,021) having similar earnings. Young women and men ages 16 to 24 had the lowest earnings ($451 and $493, respectively).
Median usual weekly earnings of women and men who are full-time wage and salary workers, by age, 2014 annual averages
Age
Women
Men
16 to 24
$451
$493
25 to 34
679
755
35 to 44
781
964
45 to 54
780
1,011
55 to 64
780
1,021
65 and older
740
942
At each education level, the long-term trend in inflation-adjusted earnings has been more favorable for women than for men. Both women and men without a high school diploma experienced declines in inflation-adjusted earnings since 1979. The drop for women (−11 percent) was much smaller than the drop for men (−33 percent).
Percentage change in inflation-adjusted median usual weekly earnings of women and men who are full-time wage and salary workers, by educational attainment, 1979–2014
Educational attainment
Women
Men
1979
2014
Percent change
1979
2014
Percent change
Total, 25 years and older
$593
$752
26.8%
$954
$922
-3.4%
Less than a high school diploma
462
409
-11.5
766
517
-32.5
High school graduates, no college
562
578
2.8
936
751
-19.8
Some college or associate's degree
641
661
3.1
1,000
872
-12.8
Bachelor's degree and higher
802
1,049
30.8
1,204
1,385
15.0
On an inflation-adjusted basis, earnings for women with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by 31 percent since 1979. Earnings for men with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose by 15 percent.
These data are from the Current Population Survey (CPS). For more information, see “Highlights of women’s earnings in 2014” (PDF) and the CPS demographics page on women. Educational data refer to workers age 25 and older. Earnings comparisons are on a broad level and do not control for many factors that can be significant in explaining earnings differences, such as job skills and responsibilities, work experience, and specialization.
United States Department of Labor
