COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau indicates women working full-time jobs in the state earn about a quarter less than men do and says that’s roughly the average for southwest Michigan as well. The latest numbers aren’t yet available for Branch County and other smaller rural counties but figures from a handful of other counties in the area paint a clear picture of what appears to be happening.
Kalamazoo County women make 76 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterpart. The ratio hovers at 74 cents in Calhoun County, 80 cents in Allegan County, 79 cents in Berrien County and just 68 cents in Van Buren County. The gap expands when you put full-time and part-time workers in the same basket.
Overall, men in Michigan with bachelor’s degrees earn around $61,000, women, $42,000. In part, that’s because women tend to take part time jobs in greater numbers.
