Black women have to work 19 months to make what white men did in one year

Black women have to work 19 months to make what white men did in one year

African American women who work full time, year round are typically paid $19,399 less per year than their white male counterparts. This means African American women have to work nearly 19 months—until almost the end of July—to make as much as white men did in the previous year alone, according to a new analysis by the National Women’s Law Center released recently, the day that African American women finally catch up to white men’s pay, 208 days into the year.

Key findings from the analysis include:

African American women typically make just 64 cents for every dollar white men make.

Based on today’s wage gap, over the course of a 40-year career, African American women would typically lose nearly $776,000 to the wage gap—this means African American women would have to work almost 63 years to earn what white men earn in 40 years.

The wage gap persists across occupations and even in low-wage occupations that typically pay $10.50 per hour or less, African American women still experience a wage gap, making only 73 cents for every dollar white men make.

African American women with high levels of education still experience a wage gap—African American women with only a bachelor’s degree typically make $45,000 per year—only about $2,630 more than white men with only a high school degree ($1.06 for every dollar).

NWLC legal and economic experts are available to discuss the broader implications of the wage gap for African American women.

Notes: All figures are for full time, year round workers. Figures for whites exclude Hispanics.