Report to Senate: Minnesota women work at high rates but face persistent wage gaps and childcare barriers
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Summary
The Women's Foundation and the University of Minnesota presented a biennial Status of Women and Girls report showing high female employment but persistent wage disparities (women earn about 81¢ per dollar of white male earnings) and significant childcare affordability challenges, with policy recommendations including expanded pay transparency and childcare supports.
Representatives of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and the Humphrey School’s Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy presented the Status of Women and Girls report to the Senate committee on Feb. 18, detailing earnings gaps, occupational segregation and childcare affordability that affect women’s long‑term economic security.
Dr. Christina Ewig, lead researcher, said Minnesota women participate in the labor force at high rates — about 79% of women ages 16–64 — and women earn a majority of post‑secondary degrees. Despite that, she reported that women overall earn about 81 cents for every dollar earned by white men; the figure varies sharply by race and origin, with Black women at roughly 61¢ and Somali women at about 58¢ relative to white male earnings.
Ewig emphasized occupational segregation as a core driver of the wage gap: many high‑paying fields remain male dominated while women are overrepresented in lower‑paid care and service occupations. She illustrated how the gap compounds over a lifetime: the report estimates the gender wage gap costs Minnesota women approximately $415,960 over a 40‑year career compared with male peers.
Childcare affordability and availability are central to the report. Ewig said only a small share of Minnesota families meet the federal guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on childcare; the report shows many single‑parent households, particularly Native American single mothers, pay multiple times the recommended share, limiting workforce participation and career advancement.
The presenters recommended policy steps the committee could consider, including stronger pay transparency (expanding beyond salary posting to disclosure of gender wage disparities in categories), continued implementation and assessment of paid family leave, and targeted business incentives and supports to expand childcare supply, especially in rural areas.
Committee members thanked the presenters and asked for any supplemental material and solutions in writing; the presenters agreed to circulate follow‑up documents to the committee.