In the Puget Sound region, women make up 45% of the workforce and still have a lower median pay than men. In this Puget Sound trend, PSRC examined the pay gap between the two genders and pay inequality within the women's workforce regarding race.
With the median wage for all workers in 2022 around $70,000, most women, regardless of race and ethnicity, make less than the median wage. Even though women in the region make less, there is a larger pay disparity among various ethnicities.
On average, white women and Asian women within the region outearn their other counterparts. White women make a median wage of $65,000, $16,000 more than the closest median wage among Hispanics ($42,000), American Indians ($49,000) and Black or African Americans ($46,000). The only racial group earning more than white women is Asian women, who earn a median wage of $70,000, matching the average median wage.
Black, Hispanic and Native American women workers earn less than their Asian and white counterparts. However, Asian and Pacific Islander workers experience a wide range of wages based on their specific ethnicities. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women workers earn the lowest median wages, 40% lower than the overall median.
PSRC is working to improve the underrepresentation of women and people of color in equitably-paying jobs to bridge the gap between not only genders but also various ethnicities. The work we continue to pursue in VISION 2050, Regional Equity Strategy and the Summer Planning Academy for high school students. View the full Puget Sound trend.