Monday, May 7, 2012

Utah women earn less than men

Women in Utah are paid 69 cents for every dollar paid to men, according to a recent report based on census data regarding the national wage gap between men and women in the workforce.

Lecia Langston, a regional economist for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, said women in Washington and Iron counties only make 67 cents on average for every dollar their male counterparts earn.
"The gap has gotten closer over the years, but it still exists," she said.

The gap in Southern Utah is larger than the national average, Langston said. Nationwide, women make 77 cents for every dollar that men make on average, she said.

There are several factors, including education, that contribute to the ongoing wage gap between men and women in Utah, Langston said.

Langston said 16 percent of women in Washington County have bachelor's degrees, in comparison to 28 percent of men. The Spectrum