Women in STEM Deserve Equal Pay— Here’s How We Get There
Imagine working nearly three extra months just to earn what your male counterparts made last year. That’s the reality for women in the U.S. in 2025.
Equal Pay Day (March 25) is a reminder of the persistent gender wage gap. This date marks how far into the year women must work to earn what men made in the previous year. In other words, it takes an additional 84 days or nearly a full quarter into 2025 for women to catch up.
Despite progress in access to education and workplace rights, wage disparity remains a pressing issue in the U.S. and globally. In fact, the wage gap has barely improved in two decades. In 2022, women earned 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, almost unchanged from 2002. In STEM fields, women earned approximately 74 cents for every dollar men earned despite comparable education and experience levels. The gap is even wider for Black, Latina, and Indigenous women, who face additional barriers that further limit their earning potential. Over a 40-year career, these disparities amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost wages, limiting financial security and economic mobility.
The pace of progress is slow, and at the current rate, it could take generations to achieve pay equity.
So, why Does the Pay Gap Persist in STEM?
Several systemic barriers contribute to the wage gap, particularly in high-paying and male-dominated fields:
Women are underrepresented in lucrative STEM fields like artificial intelligence, software engineering, and data science, while they are overrepresented in lower-paying roles.
Women in STEM frequently earn less than men for the same work and face more bias in hiring, promotions, and funding opportunities.
Women are also more likely to experience career interruptions due to caregiving responsibilities, which slows career progression and impacts lifetime earnings.
Fewer women in leadership roles means fewer mentors and advocates to support the next generation of women in STEM.
Implicit biases regarding women’s technical abilities and leadership potential often result in fewer opportunities and lower salaries.
These barriers don't just affect individual careers. They reinforce a cycle of inequity that limits innovation, widens the wealth gap, and impacts talent retention and economic growth. But it doesn't have to be this way. Here's how we can take action.
The Path to Pay Equity
While the issue is complex, meaningful change is possible through collective action from policymakers, employers, and individuals:
Open salary discussions within the workplace and amongst colleagues can support calls for fair compensation. Pay transparency ensures employees feel confident that they are receiving fair treatment and can result in greater retention and work output.
Mentorship programs can empower tenured women leaders to sponsor the next generation, helping them advocate for fair compensation while also fostering skill and knowledge transfer.
Employers can prioritize gender parity in their workforce, recognizing its value in driving company growth and internal equity. Fostering a culture of belonging that embraces diverse perspectives will ultimately lead to fairer compensation for all.
Stronger equal pay laws, along with paid family leave and workplace flexibility policies, are essential to closing the gender pay gap and ensuring long-term progress toward workplace equity.
While policy changes are crucial, individual actions and community support are equally powerful in driving meaningful progress. We lead change when we work together, sharing salaries, advocating for equity, and holding ourselves and others accountable
At Ada Marie, we believe in fostering a “pay it forward” community where women support each other in advocating for equity, and employers see inclusion as a tool for creativity and growth.
Equal Pay Day is a reminder of the work that remains to ensure women can fully participate in the global workforce and advance into high-paying leadership roles. The time for action is now because closing the gap benefits us all.
