Women of Color in the Workplace

The wage gap is most severe for women of color. Consider these facts about the paychecks of black and Hispanic women in the workplace:

• Of full-time workers, black women's median weekly earnings ($429) were only 64% of the earnings of white men ($669) in the year 2000.
• In one year, the average black woman earns approximately $12,000 less than the average white man does. Over a 35-year career, this adds up to $420,000!
• Among full-time, year-round workers, black women with Bachelors' degrees make only $1,545 more per year than white males who have only completed high school.
• Black women account for 30% of all female-headed families in the U.S. They have a median income of $18,244 annually, while families headed by white males (no wife present) have a median income of $39,240. (Notes: 1-Income is more inclusive than earnings. 2-The term "female-headed families" does not necessarily include the presence of children.)
• According to the Census Bureau, in 2000, the median full-time earnings for Hispanic women were $20,527 only 52% of the median earnings of white men ($37,339).
• In one year, the average Hispanic woman working full-time earns $17,837 less than the average white man does. Over a 30-year career, that adds up to $510,000!
• The median income of a female Hispanic householder ($20,765) is only 46% of the incomes of single white male householders ($44,988). (Note: Income is more inclusive than earnings.)
• Hispanic women with a high school diploma earn $22,469. That is 33% less than white men with the same level of education.
  

Sources:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau.

Additional notes:
1) Hispanic workers can be of any race.
2) Individual earnings data for Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans are available, yet they are from a very small sample and thus are not as reliable. NCPE encourages advocates interested in additional data on Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans to notify their Congressional representatives and encourage support for research in this area.