Research shows the U.S. States with the best salaries for women working in STEM fields

Much has been said over the years about the gender pay gap, where women are making less money for performing the same jobs as men. In an effort to bring this phenomenon to the forefront, a new study has revealed the states in the U.S. where women working in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries can earn the best wages.

Bio convergence company CYTENA utilized data regarding STEM wages, and the gender pay gap in each state to indicate the states in which women in STEM industries are best paid.

For the first time gender pay gap data of thousands of private companies has been made public. @FergusonNews interviews David Bortolussi, managing director & CEO of A2 Milk Company, which had one of the highest gender pay gaps on the list at 40.5%. #ABC730 pic.twitter.com/2wQ9rxHD2p

— ABC News (@abcnews) February 27, 2024

New Jersey is the state where women are paid the largest wages in STEM occupations. The average STEM industry wage in NJ is the largest nationwide by such a margin that despite ranking a lowly 44th in terms of pay equity, women working in STEM here are still paid the greatest wages. The average STEM wage in the state comes in at $142,500, enough to mean that an average gender pay gap of $13,500 in the state leaves the average estimated female STEM wage the highest nationwide at $129,000.

Alaska ranks second with average STEM wages coming in third-highest in the country at $138,000. The Last Frontier also boasts the second smallest pay gap nationwide, of $6,800, making for the second-highest average estimated female STEM wage of $128,900.

Wisconsin rounds out the top three, a middle-of-the-road ranking average pay gap of $11,200 combined with the second-highest average STEM wage of $139,000 makes Wisconsin’s $128,000 average estimated female STEM wage third highest nationwide.

New Mexico and Oregon rank fourth and fifth, with the eighth and fifth highest average STEM wages respectively. Average gender pay gaps of $8,000 and $9,800 mean New Mexico’s estimated female STEM wage sits at $125,100 and Oregon’s at $125,300.

Massachusetts and North Dakota rank with the sixth and seventh highest average wages for women in STEM occupations. Massachusetts has a pay gap ranking as the median figure across the US at $11,000, with an average STEM wage here of $135,600, its estimated female STEM wage is $124,500. North Dakota’s pay gap of $11,900 makes for an estimated female STEM wage of $122,800.

Nevada’s average pay gap comes in as the third-lowest nationwide, at $7,500, while Vermont’s is the lowest nationwide, at $3,800. These states rank eighth and ninth with respective estimated female STEM wages of $120,900, and $120,400.

Minnesota has the tenth-highest estimated female STEM wage despite an average wage gap of $12,000 ranking 36th in the US, the overall average STEM wage of $132,200 makes for an estimated female STEM wage of $120,100.

Rank	State	Ave. Gender Pay Gap	Average Annual STEM Wage	Estimated Female STEM Wage
	US	-11,090	$119,183	$108,092
1	New Jersey	-13,495	$142,516	$129,021
2	Alaska	-6,849	$135,735	$128,886
3	Wisconsin	-11,163	$139,180	$128,017
4	New Mexico	-7,922	$133,840	$125,918
5	Oregon	-9,774	$135,115	$125,341
6	Massachusetts	-11,100	$135,552	$124,452
7	North Dakota	-11,939	$134,747	$122,808
8	Nevada	-7,492	$128,341	$120,849
9	Vermont	-3,872	$124,307	$120,435
10	Minnesota	-12,076	$132,178	$120,102

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Sources: CYTENA utilized the following tools in their research:

– Average STEM wage by state – Ziprecruiter.com
– Average gender pay gap by state – Forbes Advisor
– Methodology: Estimated female STEM wage =  Average STEM wage – Average gender pay gap. (It is acknowledged this figure is not the average female wage across STEM occupations but is rather an indicator that representatively ranks states.)

 

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today, Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram