Self

Just In: Some States Still Suck At Paying Women The Same As Men

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wage gap

Equal pay is still probably on the forefront of your mind since Equal Pay Day has just passed. So we think it's the perfect time to reflect on where we are in this mission. The American Association of University Women released a report called, "The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap" that shows how just big the wage gap is in each U.S. state. 

Sadly, there is a lot of work to be done.

The report sheds light on the fact that the gap hasn't closed across the board: Women still make 78 cents to a man's dollar on average, according to the most recent figures from 2013. Although women in the District of Columbia are awfully close to the dream, earning 91 percent on average of their male counterparts' earnings. Where do ladies have it the worst? Sadly, Louisiana takes the cake with women earning 66 percent on average of what men make.

The wage disparities leave women of color with the shortest end of the stick. Hispanic women earned 54 percent and black women earned 64 percent of what white men made in 2013.

However, there is a surprising exception to the rule when it comes to minority women making less than their Caucasian counterparts — Asian women actually make more on average than white women, by earning 90 percent of what white men earn.

Wondering how your state stacks up compared to others? The Huffington Post has an interesting map that really lays it out, but below is a list of the states with the best and worst wage gaps: 

The States Closest To Erasing The Wage Gap
(Includes Washington D.C.)
1. Washington D.C.: 91 percent
2. New York: 86 percent
3. Maryland: 85 percent
4. Florida, California, and Arizona: 84 percent
5. Nevada, Vermont, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Delaware: 83 percent
 

The States That Are The Worst At Erasing The Wage Gap
1. Michigan, South Dakota, Oklahoma: 75 percent
2. Nebraska, Indiana, Montana: 74 percent
3. North Dakota, Utah: 70 percent
4. West Virginia, Wyoming: 69 percent
5. Louisiana: 66 percent