But the truth is that 73 cents is real progress. However, the 73-cent figure is misleading because it does not compare men and women of equal experience. Women workers have an average of four and a half fewer years on the job, which is a big factor in pay. Job choice is another factor that determines the amount of pay. Engineers command high salaries, yet relatively few women study engineering.
Teaching pays much less and that career field still attracts mostly women.
And some pro-business groups say there may be no gap at all. In fact, when you start accounting for these differences, you find the gender pay gap shrinks considerably. Few people believe the gender-pay gap is zero. And there is other evidence that women's pay is still held down by discrimination. In high-priced restaurants, for example.