Figure I
Little to no progress in closing the gender wage gap in three decades: U.S. regression-adjusted gender wage gap, 1979–2025
| Date | Regression-adjusted gender wage gap |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 30.9% |
| 1980 | 30.2% |
| 1981 | 29.5% |
| 1982 | 28.6% |
| 1983 | 27.9% |
| 1984 | 27.7% |
| 1985 | 27.5% |
| 1986 | 27.4% |
| 1987 | 26.8% |
| 1988 | 26.4% |
| 1989 | 24.5% |
| 1990 | 23.4% |
| 1991 | 22.1% |
| 1992 | 21.0% |
| 1993 | 20.3% |
| 1994 | 20.3% |
| 1995 | 21.0% |
| 1996 | 20.4% |
| 1997 | 20.7% |
| 1998 | 20.4% |
| 1999 | 20.9% |
| 2000 | 20.9% |
| 2001 | 20.3% |
| 2002 | 19.7% |
| 2003 | 19.6% |
| 2004 | 19.8% |
| 2005 | 19.3% |
| 2006 | 19.6% |
| 2007 | 20.0% |
| 2008 | 19.8% |
| 2009 | 19.7% |
| 2010 | 18.6% |
| 2011 | 18.2% |
| 2012 | 19.3% |
| 2013 | 18.8% |
| 2014 | 18.6% |
| 2015 | 19.0% |
| 2016 | 19.1% |
| 2017 | 18.9% |
| 2018 | 19.7% |
| 2019 | 19.8% |
| 2020 | 20.0% |
| 2021 | 19.4% |
| 2022 | 20.0% |
| 2023 | 18.9% |
| 2024 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 18.6% |
Notes: The regression-based gendergap is based on average wages and controls for gender, race and ethnicity, education, age, and includes marital status and state fixed effects. The log of the hourly wage is the dependent variable.
Source: Economic Policy Institute, State of Working America Data Library, "Gender wage gap - Gender wage gap, average," 2026.
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