Mind the Gap: Public Opinion and the Gender Pay Gap in the American States

Although women earn less than men in all fifty states, some are skeptical of the gender pay gap. In this era of heightened polarization, voters increasingly disagree on established facts and the scientific consensus, such as climate change and the efficacy of vaccines. Utilizing an original survey of 1,075 respondents conducted during the summer of 2022, our findings showed four groups of respondents to be more likely to disagree with the statement that women earn less than men in their state: men, Republicans, conservatives, and those with more negative views toward women. Our findings suggest that worldview, shaped by partisanship, political ideology, and gender attitudes, and one’s position in the social strata, shaped by factors such as one’s gender identity and age, may be more powerful predictors of beliefs about the gender pay gap than reality supports. These findings suggest efforts to close the pay gap at the state level face significant obstacles.