Industries With the Biggest (and Smallest) Racial Pay Gap

One of the most persistent myths about the American workplace is that, at least when it comes to pay, it’s a place of equity. If two people are doing the same job, the assumption is that both people will be paid equally (or very similarly) based only on their skills, without regard for race or any other nonmerit-based factors.

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The truth is, however, that a racial pay gap does exist. And in many industries, Black employees are sometimes earning much less than their white counterparts for the same amount of work.

Outside of the farming, fishing and forestry industries, where Black employees outearn white employees, almost every other industry leans the other way — with Black employees sometimes making as little as 70% of what white employees do.

Which industries have the biggest problems when it comes to the racial pay gap? Using data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, GOBankingRates has found the industries with the smallest and the largest gaps in salary to shed light on — and start looking for better solutions — to this problem.

Here’s a closer look at inequality in the workforce.

Industries With the Smallest Racial Pay Gap

Here are the industries — ranked from the biggest to smallest pay gap — that aren’t facing as bad of a problem as others when it comes to the racial pay gap.

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10. Community and Social Service Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $998
• Annual earnings: $51,896
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $904
• Annual earnings: $47,008
• Annual difference:$4,888
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 91%

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9. Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $729
• Annual earnings: $37,908
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $668
• Annual earnings: $34,736
• Annual difference: $3,172
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 92%

8. Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $877
• Annual earnings: $45,604
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $805
• Annual earnings: $41,860
• Annual difference: $3,744
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 92%

7. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,150
• Annual earnings: $59,800
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,058
• Annual earnings: $55,016
• Annual difference: $4,784
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 92%

6. Office and Administrative Support Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $739
• Annual earnings: $38,428
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $683
• Annual earnings: $35,516
• Annual difference: $2,912
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 92%

5. Healthcare Support Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $603
• Annual earnings: $31,356
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $566
• Annual earnings: $29,342
• Annual difference: $1,924
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 94%

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4. Life, Physical and Social Science Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,311
• Annual earnings: $68,172
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,236
• Annual earnings: $64,272
• Annual difference: $3,900
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 94%

3. Architecture and Engineering Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,549
• Annual earnings: $80,548
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,483
• Annual earnings: $77,116
• Annual difference: $3,432
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 96%

2. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $521
• Annual earnings: $27,092
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $503
• Annual earnings: $26,156
• Annual difference: $936
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 97%

1. Farming, Fishing and Forestry Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $573
• Annual earnings: $29,796
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $586
• Annual earnings: $30,472
• Annual difference: -$676
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 102%

Industries With the Biggest Racial Pay Gap

These industries — ranked from the smallest to biggest gap — have a larger racial pay gap than others.

10. Installation, Maintenance and Repair Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $957
• Annual earnings: $49,764
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $853
• Annual earnings: $44,356
• Annual difference: $5,408
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 89%

9. Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $590
• Annual earnings: $30,680
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $522
• Annual earnings: $27,144
• Annual difference: $3,536
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 88%

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8. Business and Financial Operations Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,295
• Annual earnings: $67,340
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,120
• Annual earnings: $58,240
• Annual difference: $9,100
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 86%

7. Management Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,498
• Annual earnings: $77,896
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,268
• Annual earnings: $65,936
• Annual difference: $11,960
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 85%

6. Production Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $775
• Annual earnings: $40,300
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $647
• Annual earnings: $33,644
• Annual difference: $6,656
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 83%

5. Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,196
• Annual earnings: $62,192
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $955
• Annual earnings: $49,660
• Annual difference: $12,532
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 80%

4. Legal Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,614
• Annual earnings: $83,928
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,262
• Annual earnings: $65,624
• Annual difference: $18,304
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 78%

3. Sales and Related Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $878
• Annual earnings: $45,656
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $649
• Annual earnings: $33,748
• Annual difference: $11,908
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 74%

2. Computer and Mathematical Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,567
• Annual earnings: $81,484
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $1,134
• Annual earnings: $58,968
• Annual difference: $22,516
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 72%

1. Protective Service Occupations

• White workers’ median weekly earnings: $992
• Annual earnings: $51,584
• Black workers’ median weekly earnings: $692
• Annual earnings: $35,984
• Annual difference: $15,600
• % of median white workers’ wage earned by Black or African American workers: 70%

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