SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - The wage gap between men and women is getting worse in Utah, according to a study by the National Partnership for Women and Families.
The study is based on numbers from U.S. Census Bureau data from 435 congressional districts across all 50 states.
Nationally, full-time working women are still paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to full-time working men. In Utah that number is even worse, with women earning 69 cents for every dollar a man earns. Utah's 1st Congressional District ranked ninth worst in the nation, with women earning 67 cents for every dollar.
“It is stunning and deeply troubling to learn that the wage gap affects women in nearly every congressional district in the country. Women and their families are losing critical income for food, gas, rent, health insurance and more due to a punishing gender-based wage gap that has plagued this country for decades,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership. “These new data should be a clear and resounding wake-up call for all lawmakers who have the power to pass legislation that would help close the gap and promote economic security for the women and families in their districts.”
Local economists blame the gender inequality in the workplace on the fact that more men than women are getting college degrees. "Utah has by far the largest gap of four year degrees and above, between men and women of any state in the nation. So, since wages are related to educational attainment, it's really not much of a surprise that we rank so badly," said Lecia Langston, Economist for the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
Nationally, women of color experience even greater disparities. African American women are paid 64 cents and Latinas are paid just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
For a complete review of the study, click here. http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageServer
