Wage gap between the 95th and 50th percentiles, by gender, 1973–2019
| Date | 95/50 wage gap: men | 95/50 wage gap: women |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4.12 | 3.12 |
| 2018 | 4.36 | 3.13 |
| 2017 | 3.59 | 3.09 |
| 2016 | 3.64 | 3.13 |
| 2015 | 3.49 | 3.11 |
| 2014 | 3.31 | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 3.34 | 3.02 |
| 2012 | 3.34 | 2.96 |
| 2011 | 3.2 | 2.91 |
| 2010 | 3.2 | 2.91 |
| 2009 | 3.15 | 2.84 |
| 2008 | 3.07 | 2.86 |
| 2007 | 3.04 | 2.87 |
| 2006 | 3.01 | 2.85 |
| 2005 | 3.04 | 2.84 |
| 2004 | 3.02 | 2.79 |
| 2003 | 2.9 | 2.76 |
| 2002 | 2.89 | 2.75 |
| 2001 | 2.87 | 2.74 |
| 2000 | 2.83 | 2.72 |
| 1999 | 2.77 | 2.74 |
| 1998 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| 1997 | 2.76 | 2.67 |
| 1996 | 2.75 | 2.69 |
| 1995 | 2.75 | 2.68 |
| 1994 | 2.73 | 2.68 |
| 1993 | 2.66 | 2.59 |
| 1992 | 2.64 | 2.57 |
| 1991 | 2.65 | 2.52 |
| 1990 | 2.58 | 2.52 |
| 1989 | 2.5 | 2.47 |
| 1988 | 3.15 | 2.44 |
| 1987 | 2.94 | 2.42 |
| 1986 | 2.72 | 2.39 |
| 1985 | 2.52 | 2.37 |
| 1984 | 2.46 | 2.31 |
| 1983 | 2.44 | 2.28 |
| 1982 | 2.34 | 2.32 |
| 1981 | 2.26 | 2.22 |
| 1980 | 2.18 | 2.22 |
| 1979 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| 1978 | 2.14 | 2.17 |
| 1977 | 2.22 | 2.2 |
| 1976 | 2.23 | 2.23 |
| 1975 | 2.17 | 2.19 |
| 1974 | 2.24 | 2.19 |
| 1973 | 2.24 | 2.18 |
*Ratio of workers' wages at the 95th earnings percentile to wages at the 50th percentile.
Source: Authors' analysis of State of Working America Data library: Wages by percentile and wage ratios. See Gould (2020).