For generations stretching back decades, Black women in this country have bemoaned, warned, teased, and testified about having to “work twice as hard to get half as far” as our counterparts. New economic data is backing up the claims.
A new report by The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, entitled “The Economic State of Black Women in the United States,” has revealed that despite being the largest demographic of women in the workforce and among the most educated, they continue to earn less, generate less wealth, and face greater long-term financial security.
“Black women have made gains in education and maintain high levels of labor force participation, yet substantial disparities in income, wealth, and retirement security remain,” authors write in the report. “These patterns suggest that progress in human capital and workforce engagement has not translated into equal economic outcomes across racial and gender lines.”
What the report, published in March, makes abundantly clear is something many Black women already know. The issue has never been a lack of ambition. Instead, the data shows how systemic gaps in pay, wealth-building opportunities, and economic protection continue to shape how Black women’s work is valued, even as they remain a driving force in both the labor force and their own families’ financial stability.
According to the findings, roughly 63% of Black women participate in the labor force, a higher rate than white (58%), Asian (60%), and Hispanic women (61%), while roughly two-thirds of Black women have attended college, and about 38% hold bachelor’s degrees. Yet the economic returns remain uneven.
In 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Black women working full-time earned a median of $942 per week, compared with $1,108 for white women and $1,395 for Asian women. The disparities go beyond paychecks. Black women heading households with children reported a median income of just $41,890, the lowest among major racial groups, and fewer than half report having retirement savings. Among women ages 55 to 59, Black women average about $129,933 in retirement savings compared to $328,217 for white women, while Black women over 65 are twice as likely to live in poverty as their white counterparts.
“These disparities contribute to greater economic insecurity later in life,” the authors of the report said, adding that older Black women are “significantly” more likely to experience poverty in retirement than other racial groups. Roughly 17% of Black women ages 65 and older live in poverty, compared with roughly 8% of white women in the same age group, the report found.
Looking at age further, the report also found Black women remain a relatively young population, with a median age of about 37.8 years, younger than white women, whose median age is about 44, and Asian women at about 40. The median age for Hispanic women is closer to 31.6. Meanwhile, about 22% of Black women are under age 18, which, according to researchers, further reflects “a youthful population structure that will continue to shape future workforce participation and economic outcomes.”
Ultimately, researchers say closing the substantial gaps will require more than individual achievement alone and will instead depend on policies and workplace changes that better support Black women’s economic mobility. That includes expanding access to higher-paying jobs, strengthening pay equity protections, improving access to retirement benefits, and addressing the caregiving responsibilities that often interrupt career growth. The report also stresses the need for stronger wealth-building opportunities, such as homeownership, fair lending practices, and employer benefits, that allow Black women not just to earn a living but to build real, long-term financial stability.
“Black women play a central role in the economic and social fabric of the United States. As workers, caregivers, and community leaders, they contribute significantly to the stability and well-being of families and communities nationwide,” the authors wrote in the report. “Understanding the economic realities faced by Black women is essential for shaping policies that support economic mobility, wealth accumulation, and long-term financial security.”
