For every dollar a typical White worker earns in America, a Latino worker earns just 76 cents.

Written by Parriva — August 23, 2024
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The racial wage gap is persistent, and as policy and the economy change, so do the disparities.

Differences in education and experience—which are often used to explain away the pay gap—explain less than half of the disparity in compensation between Black and White workers, according to an Economic Policy Institute (EPI) study. Data points to structural racism and discrimination in hiring, pay, and promotions as likely causes for Black workers remaining underpaid and underemployed.

Black and Hispanic households in the U.S. have far less wealth compared to their White counterparts. Their children, in turn, may have fewer opportunities to acquire high-paying jobs and build wealth. As a result, racial pay gaps can appear even among the youngest workers in the economy, and it can be difficult—or impossible—for their wages to catch up.

Xactly charted how the racial wage gap has changed since 2000 using the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. BLS asked survey respondents who identify as Hispanic or Latino to specify their country of origin. This story compares Hispanic and Latino workers to non-Hispanic Black and White workers as a way to highlight the inequalities those from Hispanic or Latino backgrounds face in the U.S. economy.

Note: It is essential to understand that race and ethnicity are two different demographic measures. People of any race can have Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. The categorization of Hispanic and Latino workers into one group is not to ignore the fact that diversity within this ethnic group is vast.

 

For Women’s History Month, a look at gender gains – and gaps – in the U.S.

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