What is the gender wage gap primarily defined as?

The gender wage gap is primarily defined as the difference in earnings between men and women in the workplace. This gap often shows that women, on average, earn less than men for similar work, even when factors like experience and education are considered. For example, if a man and a woman both have the same job and qualifications, but the man earns $50,000 while the woman earns $40,000, there is a wage gap of $10,000. This gap can happen for various reasons, including discrimination, differences in industries or jobs chosen, and the impact of caregiving responsibilities that often fall on women. Understanding this gap is important because it helps identify inequalities and encourages efforts to create fairer pay practices.