This Southern State Will Be the First to Close the Gender Pay Gap

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Women who work in Florida will be the first to earn the same wages as their male counterparts — but they’ll likely have to wait another 21 years for that to become a reality.

That’s according to new research from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, which projects that Florida will close the gender wage gap by 2038.

The IWPR’s projections are based on the ratio of women’s to men’s earnings from 1959 through 2015 among full-time, year-round workers ages 16 and older.

These states are leading the pack in achieving gender pay parity:

  1. Florida: gender pay gap should close in 2038
  2. California: 2043
  3. Maryland: 2043
  4. Nevada: 2043
  5. New York: 2046
  6. Arizona: 2047
  7. Vermont: 2047
  8. Delaware: 2048
  9. Rhode Island: 2049
  10. Texas: 2049

Unfortunately, things don’t look nearly as good for some other states.

The IWPR says this is the tough reality for a baby girl born today in the United States:

A girl born in the United States in 2017 has a life expectancy of 87 years. In 2082, when she turns age 65, a wage gap will still remain in 13 states.

These states are projected to be the last to close the gender pay gap:

  1. Wyoming: 2153
  2. Louisiana: 2115
  3. Utah: 2106
  4. North Dakota: 2102
  5. West Virginia: 2099
  6. Alaska: 2091
  7. Alabama: 2089
  8. South Carolina: 2088
  9. Mississippi: 2088
  10. Montana: 2084
  11. Michigan: 2084
  12. South Dakota: 2083
  13. Idaho: 2083

Fortunately, women are not powerless when it comes to their earnings.

Experts say women can take advantage of three “powerful accelerators” to boost their paychecks, including choosing a degree and career path with higher earning potential. Read more about the three accelerators in “3 Steps to Closing the Gender Pay Gap.”

What do you think about the gender pay gap? How does your state rank? Share your thoughts below or on Facebook.

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