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Job search site Lensa examined which industries have the greatest differences in median weekly earnings between men and women, using 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The results revealed to what extent companies have failed to address the underlying biases that lead to women being severely underpaid.
"While from the outside it may seem like women have a 'seat at the table,' we wanted to see just how true that is," says Brad Goodwin, content lead at Lensa. "The demand for female-led roles has risen, but the pay gap remains stubbornly high."
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Notably, the male-dominated finance sectors saw some of the widest pay gaps, with securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents topping the list at a 56.84% difference in earnings. On average, men make $1,891 per week, compared to a woman's pay of $1,054, their data revealed. On the other hand, positions like teaching assistants and billing and post clerks were the few industries where women made slightly more than men, a meager 0.31% and 0.91% respectively. Given that women fill a majority of these roles, it's not surprising their pay was
While employers cannot close the gender pay gap overnight, Lensa recommends taking concrete steps toward pay equity. Employers can encourage their hiring managers to switch to more skill-based assessments during interviews and even invite negotiation once an offer is made.
Here are 10 industries with the largest gender pay gaps, according to
