Controlled Gender Pay Gap Nears 99 Cents, But Overall Disparity Persists at 83 Cents

A recent social media post from "girlboss in tech" ignited discussion about the gender pay gap, asserting a dramatic shift from "70 cents on the dollar now 98 cents on the dollar." While this statement highlights progress in specific contexts, comprehensive analyses indicate a more nuanced reality, with the overall pay gap remaining significantly wider than near parity. The "98 cents" figure largely refers to the controlled pay gap, which accounts for various factors, while the uncontrolled gap continues to show a substantial disparity.

The distinction between the "controlled" and "uncontrolled" gender pay gap is crucial for understanding these figures. The uncontrolled gap measures the median earnings of all women compared to all men, without adjusting for factors like job title, experience, or industry. In contrast, the controlled gap compares the earnings of men and women in similar roles with comparable qualifications and experience. According to Payscale's 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report, the uncontrolled gender pay gap stands at 83 cents, meaning women collectively earn 17% less than men. However, when controlling for job title and other compensable factors, women earn 99 cents for every dollar men make.

Despite the near-parity in the controlled gap, the overall progress in closing the gender pay gap has largely stalled in recent years. Payscale's 2025 report notes that the 83-cent uncontrolled gap is unchanged from the previous year, and Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year women must work to earn what men did in the prior year, actually moved backward in 2025. This indicates a widening of the overall disparity, a trend also observed by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) in March 2024, which reported women earning 84 cents to the dollar and projected full pay equity not until 2053 at the current rate.

Several factors contribute to the persistent uncontrolled gap. Research consistently highlights the "motherhood penalty," where women's earnings are negatively impacted by parenthood, while fathers may experience a pay premium. Payscale's 2025 report indicates that mothers earn 75 cents (uncontrolled) or 98 cents (controlled) for every dollar earned by male parents. Additionally, the pay gap tends to widen as women age and progress in their careers, and it persists even among highly educated women.

While the overall picture remains challenging, efforts toward pay transparency are showing some positive impacts on the controlled gap. Payscale's data suggests that pay transparency laws, enacted in various states, are helping to narrow the controlled gender pay gap in those regions. This indicates that increased visibility of pay structures can contribute to achieving more equitable compensation for comparable work.