The wage gap between men and women increased slightly between 2002 and 2003,
according to a government report.
The Census Bureau found that the real median earnings of men age 15 and older
who worked full-time, year-round in 2003 remained unchanged at $40,668 from
2002. However, women with similar work experience saw their earnings decline
- 0.6 percent to $30,724 - their first annual decline since 1995.
The ratio of female-to-male earnings for full-time, year-round workers was
about 76 cents for every dollar in 2003, down from 77 cents for every dollar
It was the first time the wage gap between men and women grew since the period
between 1998 and 1999, according to the bureau.
In addition, Hispanics, who saw a 2.2 percent dip in real median earnings between
2002 and 2003, experienced a larger drop in earnings than whites did.