For the first time ever, the women’s NCAA basketball championships title game saw more viewers than the men’s team, and the reason for this was Caitlin Clark. The University of Iowa standout became the number one pick for the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft. However, when it came time for her to receive her first professional basketball player salary, many fans—and women all over the country—were surprised by the amount: $76,535.
The media and social media were up in arms. Glamour magazine declared, “The math just doesn’t add up,” and cited a tweet stating that Clark could qualify for low-income housing in San Francisco on that income. In contrast, the top pick in the NBA draft will receive over $10 million. According to an NBC article, Clark will make a total of $338,056 in her four-year WNBA career. Last year’s top NBA draft pick, Victor Wembanyama, signed a $55 million four-year contract.
What these keyboard warriors failed to mention, however, is that the WNBA as a commercial entity generated approximately $200 million in revenue last year, whilst the NBA generated a staggering $10 billion in revenue that same year… this wide disparity in both viwership and revenue certainly puts into sharp focus the considerable differences between salaries. In other words, it’s more free-market capitalism than supposed systemic discrimination that accounts for the disparity; neither Clark nor the WNBA as a whole is successful enough in monetary terms to justify salaries in the tends-of-millions of dollars range.
This common argument to justify this pay gap is arguable, nonetheless no-one need express too much concern about Clark potentially falling into poverty; as per a Sports Illustrated article, Clark has a pending Nike partnership worth up to $28 million… the gal won’t go hungry folks, so calm down.
Clark’s salary brought focus back to the longstanding problem of the wage gap between men and women. Here’s a look at how far we’ve come in addressing this gap and the work that still needs to be done.
Stalled progress on the gender wage gap
According to the Pew Research Center, the gender pay gap “has barely closed in the United States over the past two decades.” The center notes that in 2022, American women earned, on average, 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, a slight increase from two decades ago when women earned only 80 cents for every dollar.
Seems like progress, right? Not quite. The National Women’s Law Center points out that the 16-cent difference between men’s and women’s earnings means that “women, regardless of race or ethnicity, could lose up to $399,600 over a 40-year career.”
Equitable pay is required by law
As many may recall from high school social studies, equitable pay is actually mandated by law. So why is the issue persisting? Robert Sheen, CEO of Trusaic, a workplace equity technology company, explains (without citing specific examples of alleged inequality) that although the Equal Pay Act, which ensures equal pay for equal work, has been in effect since 1963, its enforcement has been lacking. He also mentions that there are various reasons employers can give to justify discrepancies in pay under this act.
The secrecy surrounding salary discussions and employees’ reluctance to share their rates has made the Equal Pay Act challenging to enforce. Attorney Daphne Delvaux points out that there is still a cultural stigma around discussing pay, with many companies having policies preventing employees from discussing their salaries. Delvaux emphasizes that employees do have the right to talk about their pay.
She notes that often, employees don’t discuss their pay, which makes it difficult for women to advocate for better pay as they lack a benchmark for comparison.
Wage disparities by industry
Do teachers face similar pay discrepancies as doctors? Are individuals like Caitlin Clark subject to the same wage disparities as those in other professions?
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research looked at the 20 largest occupations for women and found that the roles with the worst pay inequities were financial managers (earning 71% of what men earn), retail salespersons (72%), education and childcare administrators (79%), administrative assistants (80%), and managers (81%).
A chart from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that some roles have women earning more than men (such as tutors and personal care service workers), while others have comparable earnings.
A study by Forbes Advisor revealed that real estate brokers have the largest gender pay gap, with men earning 60% more than women in the same role. Personal finance advisors come in second, with men earning 58% more than women.
Additionally, Delvaux notes that mothers and women of color are at a higher risk of facing pay inequities.
How to change the gender wage gap
Both employers and employees play a role in addressing wage gap issues, though changes in pay may also signal shifts in societal values.
While the issue is complex and does not have a quick fix, HR consultant Tara Bodine emphasizes that women tend to start with lower salaries due to factors such as less negotiation experience, more time out of the workforce, and fewer advancement opportunities. Bodine suggests that even if pay discrepancies were resolved today, the root cause of the gender wage gap—deeply ingrained gender norms—could lead to similar issues in the future.
However, there are steps that can be taken within the current system. Employers should educate their employees about their total compensation packages and teach them about business financials to help them grasp their value to the company and its strategy.
Bodine stresses the importance of becoming comfortable with negotiating salaries and advocating for the full value one offers. She believes that confidence and self-worth are key factors in effectively influencing pay negotiations.
As Caitlin Clark strives to drive systemic change in sports and colleagues discuss salaries during lunch breaks, increased awareness and eventual change could be on the horizon.
“Equity isn’t a luxury but a necessity for everyone,” Leighton asserts. “For society to benefit, we must fight for equity and invest in it—not only in sports but across all aspects of life.”
You go, girl!
