Race/Gender Wage Study Reveals Surprising View of U.S. Work Force

Interview with Avis Jones-DeWeever, Institute for Women's Policy Research, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

A new report released in late March by the U.S. Census Bureau on the average earnings of workers with a four-year college education reveals that African American and Asian women earn significantly more than white women. Asian American women average almost $44,000 a year, while black women make $41,000 and white women just under $38,000. The survey also shows that white women earn just 58 percent of the $66,000 that white men with a bachelor's degree earn. Among men, whites earn the most, followed by Asians, then Hispanics with African Americans in last place. Far fewer black men than black women have college degrees.

One explanation for these disparities offered by economists and sociologists takes into account the fact that minority women tend to hold more than one job at a time, work more than 40 hours a week and return to the work force earlier than other groups after child birth. Racial discrimination on the job continues to create obstacles in hiring and advancement to management positions among men.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Avis Jones-DeWeever, a researcher and Study Director with the Institute for Women's Policy Research in Washington D.C., about the survey results. She says that while more analysis is needed to fully understand the numbers, one thing is clear: higher education benefits men and women of all ages in the job market.

Contact the Institute for Women's Policy Research at (202) 785-5100 or visit their website at www.iwpr.org

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