Economic justice for women begins in the workplace, yet women continue to face systemic pay inequalities.
Despite women comprising nearly half of the nation’s workforce and graduating from college at higher rates than those of men, their work remains undervalued compared to men’s. Factors contributing to the gender pay gap are complex, but it’s evident that home and caregiving responsibilities often steer women toward lower-paying jobs with flexible hours that require less overtime or travel. These jobs, typically classified as “women’s work,” are associated with caregiving roles — early childhood education, home health care — as well as lower wages. And even when they move up the income ladder in these traditional roles and beyond, women often are not paid as much as their male counterparts.
The result is an immediate impact on income, but also stunted career progression, reduced lifetime earnings, and diminished retirement security, all exacerbating economic, gender, and racial disparities. These effects ripple through families, communities, and New York City’s overall economy, hindering civic engagement and perpetuating cycles of inequality.
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Combating gender pay inequity begins with understanding its nature and extent.
A new report from Women Creating Change and the New School’s Center for New York City Affairs highlights these challenges and proposes actionable solutions. This report builds on last year’s findings that revealed women in New York City, on average, earned 90 cents for every dollar earned by men, with even wider gaps for women of color. This time, we explored occupational and industrial segregation: the tendency for certain jobs to be predominantly occupied by workers of one gender, and the gender imbalances throughout economic sectors. For example, while 20% of working women are in high-wage business and management jobs, up 10 points from two years ago, that still falls short of the 30% of men in these roles. Meanwhile, 20% of women are employed as caregivers, compared with just 5% of men.
There is even greater earnings inequality in the education and high-wage business and management sectors as workers climb the income ladder. The report found that male and female education workers in the 10th percentile have approximately equal earnings, but in the 90th percentile, men are paid nearly twice as much as their full-time women counterparts.
The report underscores how these disparities correlate with residential patterns in the boroughs. Women in low-paying jobs are concentrated in outer boroughs, largely the Bronx and Queens, while Manhattan hosts a disproportionate number in high-wage sectors like finance and technology. This spatial divide contributes to economic and racial segregation, undermining democratic participation among marginalized groups. When women are just trying to get by day-to-day, they do not have the time or resources to become civically engaged and make their voices heard.
To address these entrenched inequalities, comprehensive policy reforms are imperative. We must strengthen pay-transparency laws, ensure pay equity in public sector roles, and enact the Working Families Tax Credit. Women of all ages and backgrounds must have access to education, mentorship, and career development opportunities, alongside policies supporting flexible work arrangements and affordable childcare.
When women — especially women of color — are excluded from certain jobs, it reinforces harmful stereotypes and limits the potential of our entire city. By dismantling barriers to equal pay and expanding economic opportunities, we empower women to contribute fully to our city’s prosperity.
This research is crucial for informing policies that foster inclusive growth, build generational wealth, and enhance quality of life for all New Yorkers. Policymakers and elected officials must prioritize these reforms to create a more just and equitable society.
Sharon Sewell-Fairman is president and CEO of Women Creating Change, a 109-year-old nonprofit, nonpartisan, activist organization committed to advancing women’s rights and shaping the future of New York City.