(NewsNation) — Wages for younger women in America are increasing at a faster rate than they are for men — so much so that women are now earning more than men in 22 U.S. cities and metro areas, research found.
A new Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data finds that nationally, women under 30 who work full time earn 93% of what their male peers make.
The study analyzed data from 2015 to 2019 and delves deep into where exactly these narrowing pay gaps are happening.
In 22 of 250 U.S. metropolitan areas, young women now make between 100% and 120% of what their male counterparts earn — a small but positive sign the gender pay gap is slowly narrowing. Experts say that’s likely due to a combination of factors — from gains in higher education and more employer pay audits to increased pay equity laws and more demands from younger workers.
Women under 30, on average, earn at least as much as or more than men in D.C., New York, Los Angeles and 19 other major metro women’s places where strong job markets attract educated young people looking to build careers and salaries are often most competitive. Nationwide, women 30 and younger earn 93 cents for every dollar made by a comparable man.
The fed says female pay is up almost 4.5% from a year ago, compared with an increase of just over 4% for men. That marks the sixth straight month that women’s wage growth has outpaced men’s.
However, the gender pay gap is still wide. For example, in 2021, women working full-time made 83 cents for every dollar a man earned.