A new University of Illinois report finds that wage inequities persist in Illinois, though the state fares better than many others. From 2021 to 2023, the gender wage gap slightly narrowed, but racial wage gaps showed little change, with the largest disparities in lower-wage and craft jobs.
Data from more than 4,000 large private employers reveal women earn about 91-93 cents for every dollar men make, while Black and Hispanic workers earn 6-10% less than white workers. Gaps are smaller in Cook County but wider downstate.
Illinois outperforms the national median, but researchers caution that smaller businesses and government agencies aren’t required to report, possibly skewing the results. Expanding reporting could reveal even larger gaps, the researchers noted.