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Research shows hidden inequality in gender wage gap

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Most of you know the numbers: Women, on average, make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns doing the same job.

That number comes from U.S. Census Bureau data that indicates what the typical American woman — working at least 35 hours a week, year-round — is paid, writes Fast Company. Over the course of a year, that adds up to a deficit in excess of $11,500.

But according to a new report, it’s not fair, nor is it accurate, to use that figure as the ultimate indicator of the wage gap. It’s more complex than that.

In new analysis conducted by the National Partnership for Women & Families, the 77-cents-to-the-dollar figure is a median for all women collectively, Fast Company reports. However, African-American and Hispanic women have an even more significant gender-based wage gap, not just when measured against men, but also when compared with white women.

Among the findings:

Nationally, on average, African-American women are paid 60 cents and Latinas are paid 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. This amounts to annual losses of $21,937 and $25,177, respectively.

The new analysis breaks down at the national level what that lost income could mean in terms of the ability of African-American and Hispanic women to purchase basic necessities for their families, such as food, housing, utilities and gasoline.

The National Partnership also released state-specific findings for both these segments of the female population in the U.S. In 20 of the 50 states, for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men,  African-American women are paid from just 48 cents to 69 cents, and Latinas from just 43 cents to 59 cents. This is for Hispanic and African-American women of all pay grades, not just those who are low-wage employees.

Read more in-depth findings from the National Partnership report.