March 26, 2026

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR MARKS EQUAL PAY DAY, ANNOUNCES NEW YORK’S GENDER WAGE GAP IS SMALLEST IN THE NATION

Department’s Latest Gender Wage Gap Report Highlights New York’s Success in the Fight for Equal Pay

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) today recognized Equal Pay Day by announcing that New York State now has the smallest gender wage gap in the country. Equal Pay Day represents how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year, highlighting that women are often paid less than their male colleagues. NYSDOL analyzed newly available data from 2024 and found that women working full-time, year-round in New York State were paid 91.4 cents for every dollar that men were paid, well above the national average of 83 cents per dollar. While there is still progress to be made, this number significantly narrows the gap from the previous year, when New York women earned 87.3 cents for every dollar earned by men.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “ Equal Pay Day falling almost four months into the year reminds us of the work still to be done to close the gender wage gap. Although we have made significant progress, these economic inequalities still exist. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York will continue to be a national leader, implementing policies to preserve and expand these gains to ensure pay equity for women of all backgrounds across the state.”

NYSDOL’s analysis shows that a main reason for the narrowing wage gap is stronger earnings growth of women over men. In 2024, women’s earning grew by 6.3%, from $62,111 in 2023 to $66,047 in 2024, while men’s earnings increased by 1.5%, from $71,168 to $72,238. Although women are making gains in the workplace, a typical woman in NYS still earned $6,191 less than her male counterpart in 2024. If this wage gap were to remain unchanged, she would earn about $247,640 less than a man over the course of a 40-year career.

The NYSDOL analysis also found that women of color continue to face even higher disparities, with Hispanic and Black women earning 60.8 cents and 65.7 cents, respectively, for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men.

Under the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State has remained focused on taking nation-leading steps to close the gender wage gap and create a more equitable labor market. Child care obligations remain a persistent contributing factor to the gap and labor force participation. In her proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, the Governor is prioritizing universal child care for all children under five years of age, an essential step to ensure parity for women in the workforce. Under Governor Hochul, New York State has invested more than $8.6 billion to expand child care access since 2023. The Governor’s historic expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit impacted more than 1.5 million families and represents the single largest boost to the state’s child tax credit.

These proposals build on Governor Hochul’s prior actions to create a more equitable labor market. In 2025, New York became the first state in the nation to mandate Paid Prenatal Leave, ensuring that no pregnant worker needs to choose between a paycheck and a checkup. In 2024, New York mandated paid time off for breast milk expression. Critically, both benefits are available for full and part-time workers, as studies show women are more likely than men to work part-time.

The minimum wage in New York State also continues to rise as part of Governor Hochul’s historic, multi-year agreement with the State Legislature. The low-wage workforce is disproportionately made up of women of color. By raising the minimum wage, New York continues to put money in the pockets of women across the state. At the same time, New York State’s Pay Transparency law requires employers to include pay ranges on all job postings, empowering women to make better informed career decisions and ensure they are being paid fairly.

NYSDOL continues to empower women through its many free resources, including online and virtual Career Centers, career counseling, skills development, resume assistance, interview tips, job referrals and more. The Department also offers a salary negotiation guide to help New Yorkers maximize their earning potential.

With its annual Gender Wage Gap Report, NYSDOL ensures transparency and informs data-driven strategies to support a labor market that values and fairly compensates all workers.

For more information about the New York State Department of Labor’s initiatives to combat the gender wage gap and to support workforce equality, visit the Gender Wage Gap Hub.

Contact NYS Department of Labor Press Office

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Press Inquiries: 518-457-5519

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