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Washington Returns to 2nd Widest Wage Gap in the Nation

March 26, 2026

  • By The Numbers
  • Economic Well-Being
WA State Welcome

Today marks Equal Pay Day, the point in the year when women’s earnings catch up to what men earned in the previous year. But in Washington, that milestone comes with concerning news.

After a brief improvement in 2023, Washington has returned to one of the widest wage gaps in the nation.

A new state-by-state analysis from the National Partnership for Women and Families (NPWF) shows that women in Washington earned a median of $18,545 less than men in 2024, ranking 2nd widest in the country by total dollars lost, behind only Utah.[1]

In 2023, the gap narrowed to $17,400.[2] The increase in 2024 raises an important question: was that progress a turning point or a temporary shift?

“Data alone cannot tell us the complete story,” said Brittany Gregory, Executive Director of the Washington State Women’s Commission. “We need a deeper look at what’s driving these shifts and what it will take to create lasting, equitable change.”

Looking Beyond the Headline Numbers

How Washington ranks depends on how the wage gap is measured:

  • 2nd widest in the nation by total dollars lost[3]
  • 8th worst in the nation when measured as a ratio, with women earning 72 cents for every dollar earned by men[4]

While the cents-on-the-dollar figure has remained stable since 2023[5]—and even improved slightly since 2022[6]—the total dollar gap has grown.

This reflects a critical dynamic: as wages rise overall, the benefits are not being shared equitably.

Who Is Most Impacted?

For many women in Washington, the wage gap is even larger—and in most cases, growing.

Disparities increased for most racial and ethnic groups between 2023 and 2024, with some of the largest gaps impacting Latina and Native women.

According to NPWF, the wages lost to inequity are not abstract. For example, Latina women in Washington could have used those lost earnings to cover 21 months of rent or more than two years of childcare.[7]

Group 2023 Wage Gap from White, Non-Hispanic Men 2024 Wage Gap from White, Non-Hispanic Men[8] Change
Black Women -$28,435[9] -$29,237 Gap increased by $802
American Indian/Alaska Native Women -$32,325[10] -$33,659 Gap increased by $1,334
Asian Women -$14,132[11] -$12,771 Gap decreased by $1,361
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Women -$30,008[12] -$30,578 Gap increased by $500
Latina Women -$36,709[13] -$37,796 Gap increased by $1,087
White, Non-Hispanic Women -$22,850[14] -$23,237 Gap increased by $387

 

These disparities are compounded by broader economic trends. In 2025 alone, Black women experienced one of the largest single-year employment losses in decades, with 300,000 jobs lost nationally.[15]

Together, these patterns reflect broader instability in women’s economic security, particularly for women of color.

Turning Data Into Action: Activate 3.8

The Washington State Women’s Commission is working to address these challenges through Activate 3.8, a statewide initiative focused on closing the wage gap and improving economic outcomes for the 3.8 million women in Washington.

This work includes:

  • Workforce initiatives focused on improving retention for Black women in the public sector
  • Policy and systems-level advocacy
  • Tools and resources to support women navigating today’s workplace

A Tool to Support Women in Closing the Gap

The wage gap is driven by systemic factors—but that doesn’t mean individuals should be left without support.

Research shows:

  • Only 36% of women report feeling comfortable asking for a raise (compared to 44% of men).[16]
  • People who negotiate can see an average 18% increase in pay.[17]

To help close that gap in confidence and access, the Washington State Women’s Commission has launched a Salary Negotiation Tool.

This resource helps women:

  • Build a strategic salary range
  • Clearly articulate their skills and experience
  • Navigate when and how to negotiate
  • Identify alternative forms of compensation, including benefits and flexibility

Tools alone won’t close the wage gap—but they can help ensure women are better equipped to advocate for their full value.

Want to Learn More?

[1] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2026, March). What’s the Wage Gap in the States? The Wage Gap In Washington. https://nationalpartnership.org/report/wage-gap/.

[2] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (Black or African American Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017B. B20017B: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table

[3] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (American Indian and Alaska Native Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017C. B20017C: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[4] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (Asian Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017D. B20017D: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[5] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017E. B20017E: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[6] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings (Hispanic or Latino). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017I. B20017I: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[7] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017H. B20017H: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[1] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2026, March). What’s the Wage Gap in the States? https://nationalpartnership.org/report/wage-gap/.

[2] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median earnings in the past 12 months (in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars) by sex by work experience in the past 12 months (Table B20017), American Community Survey 1-year estimates. Retrieved March 26, 2026, from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.B20017?q=B20017&g=040XX00US53

[3] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2026, March). What’s the Wage Gap in the States?

[4] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2026, March). America’s women and the wage gap. https://nationalpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/americas-women-and-the-wage-gap.pdf

[5] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2024, September). America’s women and the wage gap. https://wswc.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2023NPWFWageGapData.pdf.

[6] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2024, March). America’s women and the wage gap. https://wswc.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2022NPWFWageGapData.pdf.

[7] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2026, March). What’s the Wage Gap in the States? The Wage Gap in Washington. The Wage Gap in Washington – Infogram.

[8] National Partnership for Women & Families. (2026, March). What’s the Wage Gap in the States?

[9] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (Black or African American Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017B. B20017B: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table

[10] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (American Indian and Alaska Native Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017C. B20017C: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[11] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (Asian Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017D. B20017D: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[12] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017E. B20017E: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[13] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings (Hispanic or Latino). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017I. B20017I: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[14] U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Sex by Work Experience in the Past 12 Months for the Population 16 Years and Over With Earnings in the Past 12 Months (White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino). American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B20017H. B20017H: Median Earnings in the … – Census Bureau Table.

[15] Wilson, V. (2026). Black women suffered large employment losses in 2025. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/blog/black-women-suffered-large-employment-losses-in-2025-particularly-among-college-graduates-and-public-sector-workers/.

[16] Glassdoor Team. (2025, March 13). Pay transparency: A win for women despite workplace cuts. Glassdoor. https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/pay-transparency-a-win-for-women/.

[17] Overvest, M. (n.d.). Salary negotiation statistics 2025: 60 key figures. Procurement Tactics. https://procurementtactics.com/salary-negotiation-statistics/ .