With so much new research emerging on the gender pay gap lately, there are plenty of ways to examine gender pay disparities in the United States. And if you’re a working woman who is trying to stay afloat when it comes to getting the pay you deserve, you may want to avoid taking a job in these states where the pay gap has actually increased within the last year. Here are three of the top offenders.
Wyoming
+ 3.6% Gender Pay Gap Increase
Historically, Wyoming has a large gender pay gap. Looking at both the controlled and uncontrolled data, we see that Wyoming consistently lands at the top for gender pay disparities. The state’s gender pay gap has serious implications for families: 31 percent of households headed by women in Wyoming live below the poverty level, according to a recent report from the Wyoming’s Women Foundation.
North Dakota
+ 0.7% Gender Pay Gap Increase
With 64 percent of the workforce in North Dakota made up of women, this state is in need of more equal pay protections. North Dakota’s main economic industries include agriculture, oil and petroleum, and renewable energy. These industries are heavily male-dominated, contributing to the state’s 22.9 percent uncontrolled pay gap.
Oklahoma
+ 0.5% Gender Pay Gap Increase
In states like Oklahoma, where industries like oil and gas power the economy, women’s wages suffer. The oil and gas industry has the largest controlled pay gap, at -7.4 percent. Agriculture is also a popular industry in Oklahoma, and has a pay gap of -4.6 percent. In Oklahoma, women make up 55.9 percent of the workforce.
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Do you live in a state where the gender pay gap increased this year? We want to hear from you! Comment below or join the discussion on Twitter!
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