North Carolina has finally muscled its way into the top 10 for women’s median earnings after new state data showed the gender pay gap narrowed, but the win comes with an asterisk. The latest analysis puts women at roughly 83 cents for every dollar men earn, an improvement that pushed North Carolina up to ninth in national rankings. The gains are lopsided, though. Women with degrees and many women of color are still earning far less than their male peers. Gov. Josh Stein designated March 26 as Equal Pay Day to spotlight those stubborn gaps and keep pressure on lawmakers.
What the Numbers Show
A report prepared for the state by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research finds that North Carolina’s median earnings ratio rose from about 80.9% in 2016 to 83.4% in 2023, moving the state from 31st to ninth nationally, according to the North Carolina Department of Administration. The analysis puts women’s median annual pay at about $46,856, compared with $56,000 for men. It also underscores that education is not a magic fix, noting that women with a bachelor’s degree earn just 72 cents for every dollar earned by equally educated men. The full report breaks the numbers down by race, age and region and offers policy recommendations aimed at closing what is left of the gap.
On the Job, the Gap Feels Personal
The state figures echo what many women say they are living at work in the Triangle and across North Carolina. Stephanie Farley, who works out of a Cary coworking space called The Coven, told ABC11 that after she walked into an interview with a careful compensation analysis in hand, she was told “they thought I was overqualified.” That comment changed how she approaches pay talks. Annette Taylor, chair of the North Carolina Council for Women, told the station that truly closing the gap will take “accountability and intentionality, especially transparency around salaries and income levels.”
Child Care Keeps Dragging Down Earnings
The report singles out child care costs as a major force behind the gap. Women working full time in North Carolina spend roughly 20% to 26% of their annual income on infant care, the analysis finds, a hit that can wipe out any modest pay gains. Preschool enrollment for three-year-olds also lags well behind the national average, which further strains working parents. Those pressures land hardest on Latina and Native American mothers, who carry higher child care costs relative to what they earn, according to the North Carolina Department of Administration. Researchers say that expanding affordable child care and early education access is one of the most direct levers for boosting women’s labor-force participation and pay.
Policy Choices and the Road Ahead
Report authors and state leaders point to several policy options, from child care subsidies and paid family leave to pay transparency rules and targeted workforce training, that could keep the progress going and shrink what remains of the gap. Gov. Josh Stein formally proclaimed March 26, 2026, as Equal Pay Day in North Carolina and cited the report’s findings in his proclamation, while the Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s state brief lays out nine recommendations for state action. The Office of Governor Josh Stein and the IWPR brief outline the details and next steps that advocates want lawmakers to take seriously.
