According to nationwide data for 2011 compiled by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) from federal sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Louisiana has the second-largest pay gap between men and women across the nation. While women in Louisiana have a median annual income of $31,844, their male counterparts earn $46,313 at their jobs; that is, almost 32 percent more. The AAUW’s analysis showed that only Wyoming has a greater difference in typical annual earnings for men and women working full time. The smallest gender pay gap occurs in Washington, D.C., where women earn 90 percent of the salaries collected by men.
