UWLP Blog - Gender Pay Gap

UWLP researchers recently conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline of public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes around challenges Utah women and girls face. This research summary includes childcare, child sexual abuse, and gender pay gap.

Did you miss this Fall forum? Don't worry! You can read about it and watch the full recording here.

The last 50 years have not seen one static “Utah woman.” Rather, Utah women have made diverse decisions about their childbearing and families, changing throughout the decades in response to cultural contexts, social norms, and personal circumstances.

Speaking up against sexism can be a powerful force for reducing gender inequity, as it can help others challenge their own biases and model more equitable forms of communication. Further, being prepared to respond to everyday sexism can help women feel more confident in their interactions with others.

This snapshot summarizes the gender wage gap in Utah, which is the difference between what women and men earn for performing full-time, year-round paid work. Closing the gap will strengthen economic stability and prosperity for families, communities, and the state.

The UWLP White Paper Series offers research-based reports on specific issues that impact Utah girls and women, along with related policy recommendations. This paper focuses on the gender pay gap and state equal pay laws.

On October 13th, the Utah Women & Leadership Project hosted a Women’s Leadership Forum entitled “Utah Women in 2020: Challenges, Opportunities, and Next Steps.” Read the recap here.

On August 18th, the Utah Women & Leadership Project held its first Women’s Leadership Forum of the academic year called “The Gender Wage Gap: Digging Deep into Understanding The Complexity.” This event was a panel discussion focused on understanding the wage gap issues in Utah.

In 2016, American women earned approximately 20% less than men. Compared to White men, White women earn 75.3%, Black women earn 63.3%, Native American women earn 57.7%, and Hispanic/Latina women earn 54.4%. These numbers are comparing median earnings of full time, year-round work between men and women.

In 2016, American women earned approximately 20% less than men. 1 This gap has narrowed substantially since 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was passed and women earned 41% less than men; 2 yet a gap persists, and a half century later women are still paid less than men in almost every occupation.

In June of 2017, the Utah Women and Leadership Project along with the YWCA of Utah brought a group of experts together to identify current resources/strengths, challenges, and potential interventions that would help the gender wage gap in Utah. What follows are their recommendations organized by category.

There are many barriers preventing girls and young women from obtaining a post-secondary degree. Financial concerns are number one, and yet all of the data points to the fact that in our state, scholarships and financial aid are drastically underutilized. The other major barrier is more subtle, and may be more specific to Utah girls.