Earnings Gap in US – Difference between workers who are just starting out in employment (under age 25) and workers who are 55 to 64 years of age is much smaller for women than men

Both women and men tend to acquire higher earnings as they get older. Once reaching age 65, however, their earnings tend to fall. Yet the earnings difference between workers who are just starting out in employment (under age 25) and workers who are 55 to 64 years of age is much smaller for women than men; while women and men start out with similar levels of earnings, the increase in earnings between ages 35 and 45 is much more marked for men than for women (Figure 1). In middle age (45-64 years), men’s and women’s earnings are essentially static. Among women and men who work full-time, earnings are lower for those ages 65 and older relative to those in prime and middle age groups, and the drop in earnings is greater for women than men (Figure 1).

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Older Women Workers And Economic Security