If you’re a woman, you’re likely familiar with the wage gap that women face in the workplace. It’s well-known that women generally make less than men across all occupations. For those in education occupations, it’s no different.
How big is the disparity?
How much do teachers make?
Nationally, in 2017, female elementary and middle school teachers earned a weekly median of $987 while their male counterparts made $1,139. In other words, women made only 87 percent of what men made.
In 2016, women in Texas working in elementary and middle school education made about $26.37 an hour. If working 40 hours a week, this equals about $1,055, more than the current national average for women, but still below the men’s national average.
Nationally, women make up 72 percent of the education industry. In Texas, where women accounted for 77 percent of education and health services in 2016, unequal pay can have a large impact on standard of living.
How big is the gender pay gap in Texas?
As we discussed in an earlier post, unequal pay for women is a big problem in Texas. Overall, women in Texas made 79 cents to the dollar compared to a man in 2017. This meant women missed out on nearly $10,000 for the year. This money could have gone toward paying for rent, childcare, food, schooling or other necessities. Instead, women are still paying the price for wage inequity.
Legal remedies are available
In education as in other fields, if women are performing the same work as men, it’s important for women to receive the same compensation as men too. That’s why there are federal laws on this. To learn more, reach out to an employment law attorney to better understand your legal options.
