Gender Pay Gap Views: Women See Disadvantage, Men Divided in New Poll
A new AP-NORC poll has uncovered significant disparities in how men and women perceive gender equity in the workplace, particularly regarding competitive wages. The survey highlights that most employed women in the United States believe they are at a disadvantage, while men hold more varied opinions on the matter.
Divergent Perceptions on Wage Opportunities
According to the poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, approximately 6 in 10 employed women state that men have more opportunities when it comes to earning competitive wages. About one-third of women think neither gender holds an advantage, and roughly 3 in 10 report having personally experienced wage discrimination due to their gender.
In contrast, employed men are more divided in their views. Around 4 in 10 believe men have an advantage in wages, while about half think both genders have similar opportunities. Only about 1 in 10 men say women have more opportunities, and a similar proportion report personal experiences of gender-based wage discrimination.
Economic Stress and the Widening Wage Gap
The survey also indicates that pay is a major source of stress for many working women. A majority of employed women describe the amount of money they earn as a "major" stressor in their lives, compared to about 4 in 10 employed men. This economic anxiety is compounded by broader financial pressures, with about 6 in 10 working women citing the cost of groceries and housing as significant stressors.
These findings emerge against a backdrop of a widening gender wage gap. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that men's earnings are rising faster than women's, with the gap increasing for two consecutive years. In 2024, women working full-time earned an average of 80.9% of what men earned, down from 82.7% in 2023. Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year women must work to match men's earnings, fell later in 2026 than in the previous year, reflecting this trend.
Personal Experiences and Structural Factors
The poll includes personal anecdotes that illustrate these disparities. Jessica Thompson, a 47-year-old former senior sales manager from Rockford, Illinois, shared that she earned $65,000 annually while a male colleague with similar credentials made $87,000. Thompson noted she had to prove herself over four years to secure her role, whereas her male counterpart achieved a comparable position within months.
Structural factors contribute significantly to the gender pay gap. The overrepresentation of women, particularly Black and Hispanic women, in lower-paying jobs is a key driver, alongside the "motherhood penalty." Studies indicate that women's earnings typically decline after having children, while men's wages often increase after becoming fathers. Additionally, the post-pandemic return to work of many low-wage women has lowered average female earnings, and reduced flexibility due to return-to-office mandates has impacted mothers with young children.
Political and Policy Context
The issue of pay equity is deeply politicized. A growing number of states, predominantly led by Democrats, are enacting pay transparency laws, such as requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings, to address unfair practices. However, the second administration of President Donald Trump has taken steps to limit legal tools for investigating wage discrimination, arguing that such measures threaten meritocracy and assume disparities result from discrimination.
Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, argue that these actions hinder efforts to combat wage inequality. The Trump administration has ordered federal agencies to cease enforcing "disparate impact liability" in civil rights cases, gutted the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and shifted the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's focus to anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion investigations, based on claims that men, especially white men, face discrimination.
Men's Perspectives and Industry Insights
Despite these policy shifts, the poll suggests that few men perceive themselves as disadvantaged compared to women in the workplace. Only about 1 in 10 employed men believe women have more opportunities in terms of competitive wages or job advancement. Michael Bettger, a 51-year-old mechanic from rural Arkansas, acknowledges that men often have an advantage in his male-dominated field, citing misogyny and jokes about female colleagues as barriers. He expressed concern for his daughter's prospects in the industry, highlighting ongoing challenges for women.
The AP-NORC poll, conducted from February 5 to 8, surveyed 1,156 adults using a probability-based sample representative of the U.S. population, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. The Associated Press' coverage of women in the workforce receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures, though AP maintains full editorial control over its content.
