The Gender Pay Gap is the disparity between salaries for men and women. This issue is widespread and persists even when controlling for factors like experience, industry, and job level. Take a look at the facts and figures to learn more about the severity of this issue in every field.

Get Informed: Facts & Figures

In 2026, women make 82 cents for every dollar that men make. The gap is often worse for women of color:

• Latina women earn 79 cents, Native American women earn 74 cents, Black women earn 78 cents, White women earn 82 cents, and Asian women earn 96 cents for every dollar earned by White men.

The gender pay gap also varies by state, with the narrowest gaps being in Nevada and the District of Columbia , with women earning .91 cents for every dollar earned by men. Zooming in on the arts, we see that women make $20,000 less annually than their male counterparts in 2016, according to the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP). (National Partnership for Women & Families Fact Sheet) (Payscale).

It is important to note that women aren’t the only ones negatively affected by the gap – when women enter a male-dominated field, wages tend to go down, even for men.

The consequences of the pay gap are such that women’s ability to attain long-term economic stability, earning potential overtime, economic mobility, and more is severely limited.

Did you know that:

• Based on current trends, women can experience up to $900,000 in lost lifetime earnings.
• Approximately 40% to 70% of mothers in the U.S. are the primary, sole, or co-breadwinners in their families.
• Mothers, even those who did not leave the workforce to have children, earn less than non-mothers?
• Women hold nearly two-thirds of outstanding student loan debt? Pay discrepancies in the long term are detrimental to their ability to pay off the loans.
• If women were paid the same as men, the poverty rate among working women would decrease from 9.5% to 5.5%?

With all of that in mind, it is high time to take action

There are many ways to get involved in efforts to eliminate the gender pay gap. Write to your Members of Congress (MOCs) and encourage them to support legislative efforts related to pay equity – be aware of relevant legislation and advocacy that may accredit your assertions:

• • H.R 7 – Paycheck Fairness Act
  • H.R.1864 – Pay Equity for All Act of 2023

Remember, equal pay laws and protections vary by state.

• • Currently,  Mississippi is the only state without any equal pay protections.

It is also crucial to talk to your peers about the gender pay gap. Efforts like this to bolster discourse are the first step in raising awareness of the reality of pay discrepancies. You can also support organizations like the Dance Data Project® who are advocating for closing the pay gap. Visit the DDP Resources page to learn more about organizations and studies that are keeping us informed and reinvigorating the essential dialogue surrounding this issue.