Gender Wage Equality in Missouri

In tonight's debate, Governor Romney and President Obama were both asked about their plans to change the prevailing trend of higher wages for men over women in comparative jobs.

The numbers are significant; median weekly earnings for women are 81.2% those of men, surveying workers who work more than 35 hours per week.  If the national condition is a significant demand on the next president's attention, the prevailing in Missouri is even more striking.

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, Missouri women's wages reached a high in 1998 when their median pay reached 80.8%, but wages have quickly dropped, staying below 80% of men's pay since 1998.  Currently, women's median weekly wages are 75.2% that of men.  Higher income inequality may consistently be found in more rural and agrarian areas.

Given access to higher education this graph from the Missouri Women's Report (PDF) demonstrates that more equal wages are found in more metropolitan areas, highlighting clusters around cities like Kansas City, Saint Joseph, Columbia, and Saint Louis.