Gender and Racial Wage Gaps: What BLS Data Shows

The BLS reports median usual weekly earnings by demographic group from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The data shows persistent earnings gaps between demographic groups, but interpreting those gaps requires understanding what is and is not being controlled for.

The Composition Effect

A raw comparison of median earnings between groups includes differences in occupation, industry, hours worked, education, and experience — all of which affect wages. Adjusting for these factors typically narrows but does not eliminate the gaps. The "adjusted" gap represents differential pay for the same work; the "unadjusted" gap represents the full difference in earnings, which includes occupational sorting.

OEWS Limitations for Gap Analysis

OEWS does not publish demographic breakdowns of occupation wages — it reports wages for the occupation as a whole. For demographic analysis, researchers use the CPS or American Community Survey, which have smaller sample sizes but include respondent characteristics. OEWS is better for overall wage levels; CPS is better for demographic comparisons.