Seattle Culture
Gender Pay Gap Narrows in Washington State — Slightly
State bucks national trend as today is Equal Pay Day
By Rob Smith March 25, 2025
Women in Washington state are still paid significantly less than men but the gap is narrowing, at least a little.
The National Partnership for Women and Families reports that the median annual earnings of working women in the state were $17,353 less than those of men in 2023, a $1,000 improvement from the previous year. However, Washington still holds the dubious distinction of having one of the largest gender pay gaps in the United States, moving from second worst to sixth worst.
The study also notes that the disparity is even greater among non-white women, especially Latinas ($36,709) and Native Americans ($32,325).
The pay gap is wider in terms of sheer dollars (not percentages) only in Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, Utah and New Hampshire.
The gap grew nationally for the first time in more than 20 years. Overall, women in the U.S. make 75 cents for every dollar paid to men, a loss of almost $1.7 trillion per year.
The study was released to coincide with Equal Pay Day in the United States.
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