03/28/2026
Progress isn’t guaranteed — and the pay gap is proof.
The latest Census data shows that women working full-time earn 81¢ for every $1 paid to white men. But women’s working lives don’t fit neatly into one box. Many women work part-time or seasonally, often because caregiving responsibilities, unpredictable schedules, or limited transportation make it harder to sustain full-time work. When we look at all working women, the reality is 76¢ to the dollar.
This isn’t about one paycheck or one choice. The pay gap is a sign of pay inequity — driven by a mix of factors like women being concentrated in lower-paid jobs, caregiving penalties, pay secrecy, and discrimination. That means we need a mix of solutions, too: stronger policies, employer action, and tools that help women advocate for themselves.
This Equal Pay Day, don’t just mind the gap — help close it. Learn more at AAUW about policy solutions, what employers can do, and AAUW trainings for women. act.aauw.org/thesimpletruth
