On the average, American women earn less at work than American men, even when comparing the sexes within categories of race, age, education, and occupation. However, since 1980 the income gap between white men and all women has narrowed. In 1992, white women who worked full time earned 73 cents for every dollar earned by a white man. Corresponding figures for black and hispanic women were 65 and 58 cents, respectively. Also, this year marked the first time, according to U.S. Census figures, that white women's earnings surpassed those of black men (when computed as a percentage of white men's earnings). The following tables illustrate the situation of women in the American labor force today.  During the course of this semester, we will be updating these statistics.  Do you forsee any changes in these trends?

 

I.     Employed Women by Occupation; 1983; 1991

                                                                                                           Percent of Total Labor Force
 

Occupation:	1983	1991
Total:	43.7	45.6
Managerial and Professional	43.7	46.3
Executive, Admin, Manag	32.4	40.6
Public Officials, Admin	38.5	45.9
Manag, Marketing, Adver	21.8	30.6
Administrators, Education	41.4	55.2
Manag, Medicine, Health	57.0	65.0
Accountants, Auditors	38.7	51.5
Professional Specialty	48.1	51.6
Architects	12.7	17.1
Engineers	5.8	8.2
Math, Computer Scientists	29.6	36.8
Natural Scientists	20.5	26.1
Physicians	15.8	20.1
Dentists	6.7	10.1
Registered Nurses	95.8	94.8
Pharmacists	26.7	36.8
Therapists	76.3	77.9
Teachers, College, University	36.3	40.8
Teachers, Pre, + Kindergarten	98.2	98.7
Teachers, Elementary	83.3	85.9
Teachers, Secondary	51.8	54.7
Teachers, Special Ed	82.2	83.7
Counselors, Educational	53.1	64.4
Librarians	87.3	83.0
Social Scientists, Urban Plan	46.8	53.5
Lawyers, Judges	15.8	18.9
Authors	46.7	53.2
Actors, Directors	30.8	33.2
Athletes	17.6	24.7
Technicians, Related Support	48.2	49.4
Sales Occupations	47.5	48.8
Admin Support	79.9	80.0
Secretaries, Steno, Typists	98.2	98.5

 

II.     Median Money income of Year-Round Full-Time Workers by Sex and Race
(1980; 1985; 1990)

Median Yearly Income/Ratio to White Males
 

Race/Sex		Year
	1980	1985	1990
White Males	19,720/ 1	25,693/ 1	30,186/ 1
Black Males	13,875/ .70	17,971/ .70	21,540/ .71
Hispanic Males	13,790/ .70	17,344/ .68	19,314/ .64
White Females	11,703/ .59	16,482/ .64	20,840/ .69
Black Females	10,915/ .55	14,590/ .57	18,518/ .61
Hispanic Females	9,887/ .50	13,522/ .53	16,186/ .54

III.     Median Money income of Year-Round Full-Time Workers by Sex and Race
(1991; 1992)
 

Median Weekly Income/Ratio to White Males
Race/Sex	Year	Year
	1991	1992
White Males	1	1
Black Males	.73	.73
Hispanic Males	.64	.67
White Females	.73	.75
Black Females	.63	.65
Hispanic Females	.58	.58

IV.     Civilian Labor Force Participation Rates by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Sex
(1980; 1985; 1990; 1992; 2005(est))
 

Labor Force Participation Rates (in percentages)
Race/Sex Year
	1980	1985	1990	1992	2005(est)
White Males	78.2	77.0	76.9	76.4	76.2
Black Males	70.3	70.8	70.1	69.7	70.2
Hispanic Males	81.4	80.3	81.2	80.5	81.6
White Females	51.2	54.1	57.5	57.8	63.5
Black Females	53.1	56.5	57.8	58.0	61.7
Hispanic Females	47.4	49.3	53.0	52.6	58.0

V.     Median Money Income of Year-Round Full-Time Workers by Sex and Age
(1980; 1985; 1990) [The ratio of women's to men's earnings is highest in the youngest age groups: 15-19 years of age].
 

Age	Year	Year
	1985	1990
	Men; Women; /Ratio	Men; Women; /Ratio
15-19 years	9,050; 8,372/.93	(n/a: 15-24 years)
20-24 years	13,827; 11,757/.85	15,580; 13,955/.90
25-34 years	22,321; 16,740/.75	25,502; 20,178/.79
35-44 years	28,966; 18,032/.62	32,611; 22,483/.69
45-54 years	29,880; 17,009/.57	35,731; 21,937/.61
55-64 years	28,387; 16,761/.59	33,180; 20,765/.63
65+ years	26,146; 18,336/.70	35,520; 22,866/.64

 

VI Median Money Earnings of Year-Round Full-Time Workers (25 years old and older) by Sex (1990)
 

Years of Schooling Completed	Men	Women	Ratio
Elementary, 8 years or less	19,188	13,322	.69
High School, 1-3 years	22,564	15,381	.68
High School, 4 years	28,043	18,954	.68
College, 1-3 years	34,188	22,911	.66
College, 4 years	44,554	28,911	.65
College, 5+ years	55,831	35,827	.64

 

VII.     Number and Earnings Ratios (Women to Men) of Full-Time, Year Round Workers by Occupation of Longest Job Held; 1991
 
 

Ratio: Women to Men	Number in Job	Median Earnings
Total:	.68	.70
Job Category:
Executive, Administrative, Managerial	.65	.65
Professional Specialty	.86	.72
Technical and Related Support	.89	.70
Sales Occupations	.57	.56
Admin Support, Incl. Clerical	3.5	.72
Precision Production, Craft, Repair	.08	.67
Machine Operat., Assemblers, Inspectors	.55	.63
Transportation and Mat'l. Moving	.05	.77
Handlers, Equip. Cleaners, Help., Labor.	.23	.89
Service Workers	.95	.61
Farming, Forestry, Fishing	.11	.68