Latinas Voice Improvements in Situation and Look to Accomplish More in the Future

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Latinas account for 17% of all adult women in the U.S. today.

Similarly, their population is the largest numeric increase of any major female racial or ethnic group, growing to 5.6 million from 2010 to 2022.

A recent report from the Pew Research Center shows that half of Latinas say the situation in relation to education, employment, and earnings of Latina women in the United States is better now than it was 10 years ago, and a similar share say the situation will improve in the next 10 years.

“Still, 39% of Latinas say that the situation has stayed the same, and 34% say it will not change in the next 10 years,” according to the report.

Let’s dive deeper into the data and what it means for Latinas moving forward.

Latinas and Education Attainment  

The report highlights that Latina women in the US are more likely to have a bachelor’s degree, increasing 23% in 2023, compared to 16% in 2013.

“Since 2000, the number of Hispanics enrolled in postsecondary institutions has grown substantially, a trend driven more by women than men,” according to the Pew Research Center.

Similarly, data from a report shows that Latina women are more likely than Latino men to have a bachelor’s degree today (23% vs. 20%).

“In 2020, Latinas earned over 300,000 degrees at HSIs (growth of 52%) compared to 188,000 degrees earned by Latino men at HSIs (growth of 44%),” according to a Salud America resource.

However, non-Latina women are nearly twice as likely as Latina women to have a bachelor’s degree (43% vs. 23%).

The educational attainment gap between Hispanic and non-Hispanic women has widened from 16 percentage points in 2003 to 19 points in 2023.

Age can also play a role in education attainment.

Younger Latinas (ages 25 to 29) are about twice as likely as older Latinas (ages 65 or older) to hold a bachelor’s degree (30% vs. 14%).

Additionally, US born Latinas are more likely than those born outside the US to hold a bachelor’s degree (30% vs. 19%).

Latinas in the Workforce

Along with an increase in education attainment, Latinas are making strides in the labor force.

“The share of civilian Hispanic women ages 25 to 64 participating in the labor force – those who are employed or actively looking for work – has increased in the past 20 years,” according to the Pew Research Center.

The participation rate of Latinas in the labor force has increased from 65% in 2013 to 69% in 2023.

However, there are higher labor force participation rates within Latino men (87%), White men (84%) and non-Latino women (74%) than Latinas today.

While this is still a concern, the participation gap between Latina women and White men narrowed by 8 percentage points.

Participation gaps also narrowed between Latina women and Latino men by 7 points and between Latina women and non-Latina women by 4 points.

When considering median hourly wage, the number for Latinas has increased by 17% in the last decade, growing from $16.47 2013, to $19.23 in 2023.

Despite Latinas taking many strides in education and the work force, there hasn’t been much progress when it comes to the gender pay gap.

Latinas and the Pay Gap

Today, a woman just starting out earns $399,600 less over a 40-year career compared to men, CNBC reports.

For Latina women, this lifetime wage gap totals $1,218,000.

“A majority of Hispanic women say that women earning less than men (i.e., the gender pay gap) is an extremely or very big problem for both Hispanic women (66%) and for women in general (62%),” according to the Pew Research Center.

The Pew Research Center also reports how different groups of Latinas view the gender pay gap based on age, education, and partisanship.

For instance, 73% of Latinas ages 18 to 29 say the gender pay gap is an extremely or very big problem for Latina women, compared with 60% of those ages 50 to 64.

Latinas with a bachelor’s degree or higher are more likely to view the gender wage gap as an extremely or very big problem than Latinas with a high school diploma or less.

In regard to partisanship, 74% of Latina Democrats say the gender pay gap is an extremely or very big problem for Latinas, compared with 54% of Latina Republicans.

Opinions on gender wage gap also differ based on nativity.

“Latinas born in the U.S. (72%) are more likely than Latina immigrants (60%) to say the gender wage gap is an extremely or very big problem for Hispanic women,” according to the Pew Research Center.

While there isn’t a single reason that contributes to the gender wage gap, parenthood is  a major factor.

Also known as the motherhood penalty, which is defined as “the phenomenon by which women’s pay decreases once they become mothers.”

“Mothers ages 25 to 44 are less likely to be in the labor force than women of the same age who do not have children at home, and they tend to work fewer hours each week when employed,” according to the Pew Research Center. “This can reduce the earnings of some mothers, although evidence suggests the effect is either modest overall or short-lived for many.”

Additionally, factors like gender stereotypes, discrimination, and family needs can contribute to pay gaps.

“Parenthood leads some women to put their careers on hold, whether by choice or necessity, but it has the opposite effect among men,” according to the Pew Research Center.

Improving Latina Education and Wages

While these issues persist, people like Anjelica Cazares are bringing awareness and advocating for change against the injustices of the Latina pay gap.

“The wage gap is affecting Latinas as a whole. We really need to create sustainable change,” Cazares said.

Read more about Cazares and her advocacy along with other Salud Heroes striving to make a difference and advocating for change.

You can also download a Salud America! Health Equity Report Card.

The report card auto-generates Latino-focused local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges, which can help you visualize and explore inequities in housing, transit, poverty, health care, and education.

Search for your county and compare the results with other counties and states across the nation.

Share your results with local leaders and health organizations to advocate for change and start important conversations about health disparities in your area!

GET YOUR HEALTH EQUITY REPORT CARD!