International Women’s Day: Women in Tech Will Work for Free for 41 Days This Year 

International Women’s Day: Women in tech will work for free for 41 days this year 

UPDATE:

• New data has revealed that women working in tech will effectively work for free from November 20 this year, based on the current pay gap
• The findings analyzed the computing pay gap in every state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, equated to the 2024 working calendar 
• Women currently earn an average of 84.2% of what men working in the same industry make, meaning they’ll be unpaid for 41 days this year 
• A web design expert discusses why the gender pay gap and ‘glass ceiling’ in the tech industry need to be tackled to attract new talent

New data has revealed that women working in tech will effectively work for free from November 20 this year, based on the current industry gender pay gap.

The findings, provided by web design company DesignRush, analyzed the current gender pay gap in the computing industry, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, and compared this to the 2024 working calendar to identify the ‘work for free’ date.

Ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8), the research found that women working in tech earn an average of 84.2% of what their male counterparts earn, which means they’ll work for free for 41 days of this year’s 262-day working calendar.

This means those who work in roles like game development and data science will effectively stop getting paid from November 20 to the end of the year.

The date is even earlier in states that report a more significant pay gap, with Alaska ranking first as having the biggest inequality. Women in tech earn just 60.6% of what men in tech make, meaning they work for free for 103 days – from September 19.

North Dakota and Delaware are the second highest pay disparity states, with women earning 66.3% of their male counterparts – equivalent to 88 unpaid days.

In Mississippi, women in tech will start working for free from October 20, as they are paid 27.6% less than men in tech, while those in Arkansas will cease to get paid from October 22 – 70 days earlier than men working in the same field.

The ten states with the biggest tech pay gap 

On the other end of the scale, the state with the most minor pay disparity is South Dakota, with women in tech earning 99.1% of what their male counterparts make. This means they start working for free from December 29.

In Idaho, this work-for-free date is slightly earlier on December 21, as women earn 3.8% less than men, while in Connecticut, women in tech stop getting paid on December 16 due to making 94.3% of their male counterparts’ earnings.

Although this is significantly smaller, no state reported equal pay within tech, pointing to nationwide gender-based discrimination and a lack of equal opportunities.

In 2023, over half of global organizations reported a skills shortage in tech (54%), while a recent Deloitte survey identified recruiting and retaining talent as the most prominent tech workforce challenges – despite significant layoffs.

Yet many skilled women working in the computing sector will be put off applying for positions at organizations with a significant gender pay disparity – particularly if they feel at risk of discrimination or a lack of progression opportunities due to this.

Speaking on the findings, Gianluca Ferruggia, General Manager at DesignRush, says: “While skill gaps can stem from changing organization needs, increased globalization, or inadequate training systems, it can also be exacerbated by difficulties retaining qualified workers – especially in a competitive field like tech.

“Last year saw widespread layoffs across the tech sector, with reportedly more than three million workers being affected by this mass workforce reduction. Yet most of these organizations will need to retain their current talent and attract new skilled workers to remain operational – and if they have difficulty doing so, they need to evaluate why that may be.

“Discrimination of any kind is unethical and should not be tolerated, including gender disparity. Not providing equal opportunities for female workers to advance their careers or get compensated equally reflects poorly on your ability to manage, maintain, and satisfy your current workforce and needs rectifying as a priority this year – and needs highlighting this International Women’s Day.”

-ENDS- 

Data is gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest occupation earnings findings. The results of the Deloitte survey of tech industry leaders are visible here: : https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/tech-talent-gap-and-skills-shortage-make-recruitment-difficult.html

Methodology: The gender pay gap, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, was compared to the number of working days in 2024 (262) to calculate how many days women’s lower earnings equate to as a proportion of their male counterparts. This was then equated to a ‘work for free’ date based on counting backward from December 31, 2024.

If you use these findings, please include a linked credit to the researchers’ DesignRush. Doing so ensures that we can continue distributing similar insights in the future and is hugely appreciated.

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Author: David Keech

David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]