Black and Hispanic workers face less pay discrimination in the public sector: Black, Hispanic, AAPI/other, and female pay gaps by sector
| Private sector | State or local government | |
|---|---|---|
| Race and ethnicity: | ||
| Black | -18.5% | -5.1% |
| Hispanic | -18.7% | -6.9% |
| AAPI/other | -3.2% | -1.7% |
| Gender: | ||
| Female | -19.7% | -19.4% |
Notes: Table shows differences in weekly earnings of full-time workers, working 35+ hours per week, ages 18–64, controlling for education, age, hours worked, state, and year using regression analysis. The results shown for Black, Hispanic, and AAPI/other workers compare their earnings with those of non-Hispanic white workers in the two sectors. Hispanic refers to Hispanic workers of any race, while white, Black, and AAPI/other refer to non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and non-Hispanic Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other racial categories, respectively. The results for women separately compare their earnings with those of men regardless of race and ethnicity.
Source: Authors’ analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey microdata, pooled Outgoing Rotation Group sample, March 2020–February 2024 (Flood et al. 2020 merged with EPI 2024).
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