Forbes: Colorado in top 10 for women’s salaries
Colorado women have something to be thankful for: We're in top 10 of Forbes.com's latest list of top-earning states for women.
The business-news website and magazine says Colorado ranks 10th in the nation in women's median weekly earnings — $693, or $36,036 a year, ahead of the national median of $638 per week, or $33,176 a year.
There are 797,000 women workers in the state, Forbes says.
It based its ranking on a July release of salary data by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"The difference between the highest- and lowest-earning states was $356 a week, meaning that a female worker could be losing almost $19,000 per year, depending on where she calls home," Forbes said in its report.
Still, even in Colorado, typical pay for women is well behind that of men. Women on average make 78.9 percent of what men make.
Washington, D.C., treated as a state by Forbes, topped the list at a median weekly salary of $866 for women, with Forbes pointing to the high number of government jobs.
Mississippi fell on the opposite end of the list, with women making only $510 per week. Forbes cited low graduation rates, a low cost of living and lack of job diversity there. Also near the bottom are Montana ($528 a week) and West Virginia ($546 a week).
Forbes' top 10, and median weekly pay in those states:
- 1. D.C. — $866.
- 2. Maryland — $774.
- 3. Connecticut — $772.
- 4. Massachusetts — $762.
- 5. California — $738.
- 6. New Jersey — $726.
- 7. Alaska — $719.
- 8. Minnesota — $717.
- 9. Washington state — $709.
- 10. Colorado — $693.
Click here for the full report from Forbes.com.
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