Thursday— July 10 — marked Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. That means the average Black woman in the U.S. had to work into this year just to earn what a white man made by December 31 of last year.

Let that sink in: It takes an extra seven months of work to catch up.

The Wage Gap, By the Numbers

For every $1 paid to white, non-Hispanic men, Black women working full-time all year earn about 66 cents. If you include part-time and seasonal workers, it drops to 64 cents.

Over a year, that’s a loss of over $25,000.

Over a whole career? That’s more than $1 million in lost wages.

This happens no matter the industry or education level — even Black women with college degrees earn less than white men with similar backgrounds.

What’s One Simple Fix? Tell People What the Job Pays.

One of the best ways to combat pay inequality is also one of the simplest: ensure job postings include salary ranges from the outset.

Right now, many employers keep pay a secret, and it hurts women and people of color the most. If you don’t know what a job is supposed to pay, you’re more likely to accept less. This is how pay gaps stay hidden.

Colorado Is Leading the Way

In 2021, Colorado passed a law that requires employers to:

List the salary range in job ads

Tell workers about promotions and raises for grabs

Stop asking people what they made at their last job

Let employees talk about pay without getting punished

It’s one of the strongest pay equity laws in the country — and it’s working. Other states, such as California and New York, are now following Colorado’s lead, but most states still don’t require any pay transparency.

Why This Matters

If we’re serious about closing the wage gap, every state needs to step up. When people know what they should be paid — and feel safe talking about it — they’re less likely to be shortchanged.

This isn’t just about fairness. It’s about financial stability, opportunity, and respect — things every worker deserves.

So on this Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, remember:

Black women shouldn’t have to work until July to earn what others make by New Year’s.