Women in New Jersey earn more than women in most other states, according to a new analysis, but that number is still well below the annual salary men earn in the Garden State.
Using full-time wages data from the 2020 census, personal finance technology company MoneyGeek found that women’s income in New Jersey accounts for 80.2% of men’s income.
This gap ranks 25th out of the 50 states. According to the analysis, there are no states where women make up at least 90% of their male counterparts.
“Women’s earnings in New Jersey are the third highest in the country, but they still make about $14,000 less than men annually,” said Melody Kasulis, data analyst at MoneyGeek.
The monthly gap is around $1,180 in New Jersey.
According to the report, nationally, women’s earnings fell in 2022 from 83.1% in 2021 to 82.4% of men in the second quarter of 2022.
MoneyGeek’s report points to a link between a state’s gender pay gap and its approach to abortion. Of the 15 states with the widest wage differentials, abortion is either illegal, restricted, or “unprotected.”
In states with expanded access to abortion, such as New Jersey, women’s earnings average 84.3% of men’s earnings. In states where access to abortion was illegal, the pay gap was 77.1%, according to the report.
According to Emory University economist Melissa Williams, who commented on MoneyGeek’s report, the link between women’s economic opportunity and control over their reproductive rights is “very tight”.
“When faced with unwanted pregnancies, women are likely not to complete their education, delay their entry into the labor market, and have fewer hours available for paid work,” Williams said. “Without the ability to choose when or if they want to have a child, women don’t have the same educational and economic opportunities as men.”
The 10 states with the largest pay gaps in America are all Republican, according to the report. On a national average, women in republican states earn 3.3% less than women in blue states.
Dino Flammia is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at [email protected]
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