New Data Show Uneven Progress on Gender Pay Gap: AAUW Equips Women to Strengthen Their Financial Futures
AAUW’s free salary negotiation webinars begin today
WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Census Bureau data released yesterday show the gender pay gap narrowed in 2025. Women working full-time, year-round earned 84 cents for every dollar men earned, up from 81 cents in 2024. Median annual earnings were $60,760 for women and $72,380 for men, a difference of $11,620.
The gap didn’t close for everyone. Progress looks very different by race and ethnicity and by whether women work full-time, part-time, or seasonal jobs. Black women working full-time, year-round earned 64 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men, down from 65 cents last year. Latinas earned 60 cents, up from 58 cents. When all working women are considered, women earned 78 cents for every dollar earned by men, a difference of $13,760. See AAUW’s full breakdown of the 2025 gender and racial pay gap data here.
“Narrowing the pay gap is welcome news, but it is not a reason to declare victory,” said Gloria L. Blackwell, AAUW CEO. “Black women actually lost ground this year, and women are still earning thousands of dollars less than men each year. That affects real decisions women make about education, childcare, buying a home, and saving for retirement.”
Closing the gender pay gap requires stronger policies and workplace practices that address the barriers holding women back. Women can’t negotiate their way out of a systemic pay gap. But they should have tools they can use right now to advocate for themselves and make informed decisions about their careers and finances.
Free Tools Women Can Use Now
Starting today, AAUW’s free Economic Empowerment Webinars are open for registration. Designed to support women’s economic empowerment and available to everyone, the workshops provide practical skills participants can put to use at every stage of their financial journey.
Start Smart helps those entering the workforce understand their value and prepare to negotiate salary and benefits. Work Smart equips early- and mid-career professionals to research competitive pay, negotiate effectively, and advocate for advancement. Money Smart builds essential financial skills, including budgeting, managing debt, investing, and planning for retirement.
More than 200,000 women have benefited from AAUW’s economic empowerment programs, and 70% of Work Smart participants say the training improved their ability to negotiate for fair pay.
“Systemic change is necessary, but women should not have to wait for it,” Blackwell said. “AAUW will keep working to close the pay gap and make sure women have practical tools they can use right now.”
AAUW’s free virtual workshops begin September 16 and continue through December. Learn more and register here.
AAUW publishes The (Not So) Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap, an annual report examining gender and racial pay gaps, what drives them, and the policies that can help close them. AAUW will release its next report with a deeper analysis of the 2025 data in January.
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AAUW is the nation’s leading organization for equity in higher education and women’s economic empowerment.
Founded in 1881 by women who defied society’s conventions by earning college degrees, AAUW works to expand women’s access, opportunity, and equity through research, advocacy, education, and philanthropy. Since 1888, the organization has invested more than $150 million in women scholars, researchers, and community change-makers. Learn more at aauw.org.
