Marketplace®
Every story is an economic story

The wage gap decreases slightly among married couples

Census data shows wives' earnings gaining on husbands'

A new analysis of data from the U.S. census shows a slight uptick in women who earn more than their male spouses. In the last fifteen years, the percentage of women who earn $30,000 or more than their husbands grew from 6 to 9 percent. 

U.S. Census Bureau

A large wage gap still exists, though. In married couples that live in the same household, and where both spouses work full-time, women were shown to make about 73 percent of their husbands’ median income. That rift is a little less for couples that are cohabiting, but unmarried.

U.S. Census Bureau

That gap increases in data that accounts for spouses and partners who do not work full time. In those results, women make about 33 percent of the median income of their husbands. The bureau notes that its important to consider non-earners as well, as that information also affects how people make career and family decisions. 

 

 

Related Topics

Latest Episodes

View All Shows
  • Marketplace
    an hour ago
    25:22
  • Marketplace Morning Report
    9 hours ago
    7:09
  • Million Bazillion
    14 hours ago
    30:57
  • Marketplace Tech
    14 hours ago
    12:45
  • This Is Uncomfortable
    6 days ago
    28:44
  • Make Me Smart
    4 months ago
    24:33