2023 Women's Earnings Report
Executive Summary
On January 27, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced the signing of the “California Equal Pay Pledge,” an initiative the First Partner launched to close the gender pay gap. The pledge commits employers to conduct “an annual company-wide gender pay analysis, reviewing hiring and promotion processes and procedures to reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers, and promoting best practices that will close the pay gap to ensure fundamental equity for all workers.”
To meet this challenge, CalHR re-evaluated how it analyzes state employee compensation and demographic data for its annual Women’s Earnings in State Civil Service Report. Beginning with the 2020 Women’s Earnings Report (Published January 2022), CalHR explored factors contributing to the gender pay gap by analyzing pay at the bargaining unit, occupation, and classification level. This approach supplies valuable data insights that allow the Administration to develop targeted strategies to help close the statewide gender pay gap, as well as any bargaining unit, occupation, or classification level gender pay gap.
When CalHR compared the gender pay gap for the five largest occupations in state government, there is a significantly smaller gender pay gap compared to workers in the United States labor market. See Chart 11 for details.
The California Partners Project is a non-profit organization that champions gender equity across the state. In 2024, the First Partner, in partnership with the California Partners Project, released the Equal Pay Playbook. CalHR has included the Six Steps to Become an Equal Pay Champion checklist in this report to highlight how the state is promoting equal pay best practices. See Table 1 for details.
The research for this report has led us to two major conclusions:
- Over the past 10 years, the statewide gender pay gap has narrowed for California’s Civil Service employees, and as of December 2023, it was 12.2 percent.
- The state’s Civil Service requirements, salary structures, and bargaining unit composition are more equitable. This is evidenced by analyzing gender pay at the bargaining unit, occupation, and classification level.
In addition to this printed report, CalHR has published its third annual Equal Pay Dashboard. The 2023 Equal Pay Dashboard provides the public with the opportunity to review the data in this report in a more robust and interactive way. These modern dashboards have become possible because of CalHR’s investment to continuously improve its data analytic and data transformation capabilities. Part of this investment was the resources CalHR received through a 2022-23 Budget Change Proposal in support of Key Data Initiatives. Since receiving those resources, CalHR has made advancements in improving data integrity and transparency. As these efforts continue, CalHR expects to deliver stronger, more reliable data and uncover new insights over time.
The State of California Has Made Progress in Closing the Statewide Gender Pay Gap
Since 2013, the statewide gender pay gap has trended downward for most years. This is primarily due to a greater representation of women in higher paying state jobs (see Chart 18). This demographic shift has brought the median base pay for women and men closer together and helped reduce the gender pay gap over the past 10 years.1 In 2013, the gender pay gap was 21.1 percent, and as of 2023, it was 12.2 percent.2
Purpose of the Report
CalHR prepared this report for the Legislature in accordance with Government Code Section 19827.2. This report is based on data from December 2023 and includes contextual data dating back to 2013.3 Authority to compile this report derives from Title 2, Division 5, Part 24 of the California Government Code, and does not include information for those exempted from Civil Service status under Article VII, Section 4 of the California State Constitution, except where Exempt Executive pay is discussed.
What is the Gender Pay Gap?
The “gender pay gap” is an equality measure comparing the median earnings of women and men. Once per year the state compares the median base pay of male Civil Service employees with female Civil Service employees.5 This “dollar” difference is converted to a percentage. A pay gap of 20 percent would mean that females earn 80 percent of the male median base salary. It is important to note that base pay does not include pay differentials, extended duty week compensation, or overtime pay.
How is the Gender Pay Gap Calculated?
There are two steps for calculating the gender pay gap:
- Determine the median monthly pay for each gender
- Calculate the percentage difference in median pay
Calculating the Gender Pay Gap: Determine the Median Base Pay by Gender
To find the median pay by gender, the base pay for all full-time Civil Service female and male workers is separately arranged from high to low. The median is then identified – meaning half of the salaries are above and half are below. Monthly base pay for females and males is displayed in the chart below. As of 2023, the median monthly pay for women was $7,023, and $7,998 for men.
Calculating the Gender Pay Gap: Calculate the Percentage Difference in Pay
Next, the median base pay for women is divided by the median base pay for men. This produces a ratio, which in this case, is 87.8 percent.
$7,023 / $7,998 = 87.8%
This ratio is often expressed in terms of dollars and cents when discussing the gender pay gap. For example, this could be expressed as women earn 88 cents compared to each dollar earned by men. To turn this ratio into a pay gap, 87.8 percent is subtracted from 100 percent, which leaves a gender pay gap of 12.2 percent.
100% – 87.8% = 12.2%
Accordingly, 12.2 percent is California’s Civil Service gender pay gap for 2023.
The Gender Pay Gap for California’s Civil Service Closed Faster Than in U.S. Labor Market
Since 2013, California’s Civil Service has reduced the gender pay gap from 21.1 percent to 12.2 percent – outpacing progress in the U.S. Labor Market overall. For several years, the Civil Service gap has remained lower than the national average, and in 2023 it was also lower than the gap across California’s broader Labor Force. These Labor Market figures on median pay by gender come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey estimates for 2013 through 2023.6
Women Are Better Represented in California Civil Service Jobs Than in California and U.S. Labor Markets
California’s Civil Service employs a larger share of female workers than the California or U.S. Labor Market. However, between 2013 and 2023, the share of women employed in the state’s Civil Service has declined by 0.8 percent, while the share of women in the California and U.S. Labor Markets increased by 1.4 and 0.8 percent during the same period.7
More Focused Comparison Shows Fewer Employees Affected by a Gender Pay Gap
The 12.2 percent statewide gender pay gap is derived by comparing salaries paid to all full-time Civil Service workers in 2023, regardless of occupation or job. But median pay and pay gaps can be compared in more refined ways, providing more context for understanding the gender pay gap in California’s Civil Service.
This report also calculates a gender pay gap for rank-and-file employees in the state’s 21 bargaining units, 279 detailed occupations, and 1,205 Civil Service classifications.
As illustrated in the chart below, the percentage of rank-and-file employees affected by a female pay gap is reduced dramatically when compared within their respective bargaining unit, occupation, or classification.
Comparing the Gender Pay Gap by Bargaining Unit
Since 1982, most of California’s Civil Service employees have been grouped into different bargaining units, each representing different professions and occupations. It is possible to compare the median pay for females and males within each bargaining unit to see if there is a gender pay gap.
Overall, about 60 percent of represented state employees were in a bargaining unit where there was a female gender pay gap in 2023.8
The chart below illustrates that in 2023, there was a female pay gap in ten bargaining units, no pay gap in nine units, and a male pay gap (because the median pay for men was lower than median pay for women) in two units.9
As a case study, CalHR examined the impact that Information Technology (IT) classifications may have on the gender pay gap for R01, which is comprised of professional, administrative, and financial workers. In 2023, R01 represented 32 percent of all rank-and-file employees and had a 10.5 percent gender pay gap. R01’s broad range of occupations and salaries means an occupation such as IT, which is predominately male, could drive up the gender pay gap for the bargaining unit if that occupation also makes more than other classifications with a larger percentage of female employees. When IT classifications are removed, the R01 gender pay gap is eliminated.
Removing IT classifications lowers the median base pay for females from $6,368 to $6,265. For males, however, the median base pay sees a more substantial decrease, from $7,114 to $6,267. This reduction brings the median base pay for males in line with that of females, eliminating the gender pay gap for R01.
Comparing the Gender Pay Gap Within Detailed Occupations
Some bargaining units represent state employees associated with one occupation, while others represent employees working in dozens. For a more refined analysis, CalHR compared pay by gender for rank-and-file employees within nearly 300 detailed occupations.
As of 2023, almost 26 percent of rank-and-file state employees were working in an occupation with a female pay gap.10
As a case study, CalHR looked at the five occupations where the most state workers are employed.11 The chart below illustrates there is a large gender pay gap for women in these occupations in the U.S. Labor Market, while the median pay for rank-and-file female and male state employees is very similar.12 13
Comparing the Gender Pay Gap Within Classifications
The most refined analysis comes from comparing how males and females are paid within classifications. As shown below, fewer than one quarter of classifications show a female pay gap. The classification system reduces the risk of pay gaps because Civil Service employees are paid within a prescribed pay range for each classification. Most employees do not negotiate a starting salary, a practice that is much more common in the private sector. Employees typically start at the minimum salary and progress over time to the maximum salary of the range. For many classifications that can take up to five years. Gender pay gaps within classifications are primarily driven by a larger share of men or women at one end of the pay range.
As of 2023, almost 61 percent of rank-and-file state employees were working in a classification with no gender pay gap.14
Understanding What Drives the Gender Pay Gap
How state employees are paid within different bargaining units has a significant impact on the statewide gender pay gap. Eighty percent of full-time Civil Service employees work in a classification represented by one of the 21 bargaining units. Salaries negotiated for each unit drives the statewide median pay for women and men. The following chart shows the bargaining units arranged by median monthly base pay, from low to high. The statewide monthly median pay for female and male employees is inserted in between the monthly median base pay for each bargaining unit.
The chart below shows the representation of female and male workers within each bargaining unit. More women than men are employed in a bargaining unit on the lower end of the median pay spectrum (75 percent compared to 55 percent).
The Gender Pay Gap Differs by Ethnic Group
A gender pay gap can also be calculated by ethnic group. This is accomplished by comparing each group’s median pay to the median pay for all male employees. In the chart below the monthly median base pay and gender pay gap is displayed for women, by ethnic group, along with the statewide monthly median base pay for all women and all men. In 2023, the gender pay gap for Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Black women was higher than the statewide female pay gap. The gender pay gap for White and Asian women was lower than the statewide female pay gap.15
Bargaining Unit Membership Explains Median Pay
Statewide, 50 percent of all represented women worked in a R01, R07, or R18 job in 2023, which means the median pay for all women will be near the salary of one of these jobs. The charts below summarize the percentage of female employees in one of three categories: bargaining units where the median base pay is higher than R01, R07, or R18; equivalent to R01, R07, or R18 (near the female median base pay); and bargaining units where the median base pay is below R01, R07, or R18.
The percentage of women in these jobs change depending on the ethnic group. In fact, the concentration of women in different bargaining units directly impacts the median base pay for each ethnic group. By comparing the percentage of women in different bargaining units, it becomes clear how this is impacting the median pay for women in different ethnic groups.
Twenty-four percent or more of Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, or Black women are employed in a job represented by a bargaining unit earning less than R01, R07, or R18.
By contrast, a relatively small percentage (17 to 20 percent) of White and Asian women are in a bargaining unit earning less than R01, R07, or R18. Just as important, a higher percentage of these women were employed in a job represented by a bargaining unit earning more.
Larger Share of Women in Bargaining Units With Higher Paying Jobs Has Helped Close the Gender Pay Gap Within Civil Service
When comparing the concentration of women and men in different bargaining units in 2013 and 2023, it makes a strong case that changes in gender representation in state jobs have helped close the gender pay gap since 2013. A larger share of women were employed in bargaining units with higher paying jobs in 2023. This has moved up the median pay for women over the past 10 years. Meanwhile, the share of men in bargaining units with higher paying jobs has declined since 2013. The combination of trends helped narrow the gender pay gap, moving the median pay for women and men closer to a R01, R07, or R18 job.
The Impact That Peace Officer and Firefighter Pay Has on the Statewide Gender Pay Gap
As a case study, CalHR analyzed the impact Peace Officer and Firefighter (POFF) classifications16 had on the statewide gender pay gap. When employees in these classifications were removed, the statewide gender pay gap declined by more than 8 percent.
The median base pay drops significantly for males – from $7,998 to $7,196 while it only drops slightly for females – from $7,023 to $6,907. This change brings the median base pay for male and female employees closer together, thus decreasing the statewide gender pay gap.
As of 2023, 33.7 percent of all males were employed in a Peace Officer or Firefighter classification, compared to 7.3 percent of females. The state’s largest law enforcement departments have prioritized increasing the representation of women in law enforcement classifications.
In 2019, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) expanded recruitment efforts by launching the first statewide all digital marketing campaign. A declining applicant pool was the national trend in law enforcement at the time; however, due to the successful marketing campaign, CHP experienced an increase in the number of candidates applying for the academy.
In 2022, CHP received additional resources to continue the expansion of their recruitment efforts and to improve diversity when advertising for law enforcement opportunities. With the additional resources, CHP increased the number of female recruiters, developed a specific “Women in the CHP” webpage, and is now showcasing female officers in marketing advertisements.
In 2023, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) pledged to increase the recruitment, retention, and promotion of women in law enforcement. The CDCR Secretary signed the “30×30” national initiative which sets a goal to have women make up 30 percent of correctional officer cadets by 2030. The pledge also ensures CDCR will take steps to improve gender equity and implement strategies and solutions to advance women in the department.
Comparing Gender Representation for Civil Service and Exempt Executives in State Government in 2013 and 2023
Since 2013, the state has increased female representation in Civil Service Executive positions. The chart below compares the percentage of women in 2013 and 2023, in the Civil Service Career Executive Assignment (CEA) classification. A “Career Executive Assignment” (CEA) is an appointment to a high administrative and policy influencing position within Civil Service in which the incumbent’s primary responsibility is the managing of a major function or the rendering of management advice to top-level administrative authority.
The state has made even more progress in increasing female representation in Executive-Level Exempt positions (positions exempt from Civil Service hiring rules), of which most are appointed by the Governor. In 2013, women were 48 percent of Executive-Level Exempt employees, and as of 2023, they were 56 percent.
Comparing the Gender Pay Gap for Civil Service Executives
As of 2023, the median pay for male CEAs was higher than female CEAs. The CEA is a very broad classification, with no written classification specification as each job is unique.
For the entire CEA classification, there was just over a three percent female pay gap in 2023.17
Levels for Civil Service Executives (CEAs)
CEA positions are established at one of three levels, based on duties and responsibilities:
CEA Level A
Supervisory/ administrative experience in a line or staff activity, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.
CEA Level B
Broad administrative or program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.
CEA Level C
Extensive managerial and program administrative experience which has included substantial responsibility for a combination of management functions such as program planning; policy formulation; organization coordination and control; and fiscal and personnel management.
When comparing the median base pay within each level, the gender pay gap for women and men within Levels A and B was minimal. However, there was a higher gender pay gap for Level C in 2023.
Women are Well Represented in Civil Service Executive Positions
Women accounted for 56 percent of all CEAs in 2023, 60 percent at Level A, 54 percent at Level B, and 55 percent at Level C. However, because women comprised the largest percentage of CEAs at Level A, that effectively moved down the overall median base pay for all female CEAs relative to all male CEAs.
Comparing the Gender Pay Gap for Non-Civil Service Executive Positions
California’s State Constitution provides that members of boards and commissions, appointees of the Governor, and one appointee of each Governor’s appointee shall be exempt from Civil Service.18 These employees are referred to as “Exempt employees” for the purpose of this report. In the chart below, Exempt employees have been grouped into two categories: Executive-Level and Other Exempt. There was a 1.6 percent female pay gap among Executive-Level employees, a 13.3 percent female pay gap among Other Exempt employees, and an overall 3.9 percent female pay gap for All Exempt employees in 2023.19
When focusing on just the Executive-Level Exempt positions, the median base pay was very comparable for females and males across these categories. For definitions, please see the “About the Data” tab in the 2023 Equal Pay Dashboard.
Women are Well Represented in Executive-Level Exempt Positions
Women accounted for the majority of employees in most of the Executive-Level Exempt categories in 2023. Overall, within this Executive-Level Exempt group, there were 743 employees: 56 percent female and 44 percent male.
California Equal Pay Playbook
In 2024, First Partner Siebel Newsom unveiled a six-step playbook to help organizations eliminate their internal gender wage gap. CalHR reviewed the “California Equal Pay Playbook” created by the California Partners Project and includes this summary of how California State Government is addressing the six steps outlined.
Initiatives to Address the Gender Pay Gap
CalHR, through its policies, programs, trainings, and resources seeks to diversify the state’s job applicant pool, reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers in state employment, and promote a more respectful and inclusive workplace.
Hiring Practices Modernized
The State of California created its first jobs website in 2012. In 2016, CalHR significantly redesigned the jobs website (CalCareers.ca.gov) for jobseekers to search for and apply for state jobs online and efforts to modernize the site are ongoing. In 2023, approximately 50,000 job postings and 593 Civil Service examinations were available online.
Work for California
In 2023, the State of California piloted a successful recruiting campaign called Work for California (Work4CA). Initially focused on attracting laid-off tech workers, the Work4CA campaign has grown into a comprehensive statewide recruitment initiative.
Work4CA operates as a collaborative effort across various state departments, fostering a unified approach to attracting top talent for the State of California. The Work4CA website (WorkForCalifornia.ca.gov) provides valuable resources to empower those seeking employment with the State of California including tutorial videos that guide job seekers through every step of the CalCareers application process. Applicants can find hiring events and career fairs hosted by departments across the state and get insight from recruiters with additional advice on how to approach the application, statement of qualifications and job interview.
The campaign also shares how joining state service offers a multitude of benefits, including advancement opportunities, excellent benefits packages, job security and the chance to work with a purpose, regardless of an individual’s education or experience level.
Anonymous Hiring
Implicit bias during the recruitment, hiring, or selection process occurs when the brain makes quick judgments about a particular group(s) of people based on stereotypes, in a way that is either in favor or against the candidates. Demographic information on a candidate’s job application or resumé may produce implicit bias from the application reviewers, influencing the merit of the selection process. Anonymous hiring is a technique that redacts personal information about the candidate from a hiring manager or recruiter that can lead to implicit bias negatively impacting the candidate. CalHR will design, develop, test, and maintain an anonymous hiring system.
Hiring Above Minimum
Government Code Section 19836 authorizes CalHR to allow payments above the minimum of the salary range of a classification in specific situations. CalHR found the “Hire Above Minimum” (HAM) procedure could lead to salary disparities when individuals, rather than a group or class, are hired at salaries above the minimum.
To reduce the risk of inequitable outcomes, effective October 1, 2024, CalHR rescinded the department HAM delegation for individuals and revised the HAM policy to allow HAMs only for specific classifications, as outlined in Section 5 of the Pay Scale. Individual and otherwise discretionary HAMs are now prohibited.
Statewide Non-Traditional Apprenticeship Programs
Apprenticeships can be an effective strategy for improving representation of underserved populations in the workforce. They can remove barriers women disproportionally face regarding both the cost and time associated with continued education, as well as provide key opportunities for on-the-job learning while continuing to earn current wages.
In 2017, the state piloted several non-traditional apprenticeship programs in occupational sectors outside the building trades as a complement to career development, succession management, and upward mobility strategies as well as to further diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts. Since their inception, through December 2024, 137 state employees have completed a non-traditional apprenticeship program. Current programs are in the fields of Nursing, Information Technology, and Financial Services as well as associated pre-apprenticeship programs. This is particularly important because women are currently under-represented in many high paid occupations, such as Computer Systems Analysts. 20
CalHR continues to look for ways to expand apprenticeship opportunities, including:
- Exploration of where non-traditional apprenticeships can align with and supplement current career development efforts to provide career paths for women in low-paying or entry level occupations.
- Identification of occupational sectors where women are over-represented and access to education and/or on-the-job experience present blocks to meeting the Minimum Qualifications in higher level classifications where there is a statewide need.
- An evaluation of where true career ladders may not yet exist to address a statewide or otherwise pressing succession management need and the potential development of pre-apprenticeships and/or non-traditional apprenticeships as part of a strategy to address gaps in needed knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Outreach to women and other underserved populations in the state workforce to assess interest, identify potential blocks to application and/or participation, and explore strategies to address.
- Creation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible marketing and other support resources to ensure women and other underserved populations are aware of all pre-apprenticeship and non-traditional apprenticeship programs that may benefit them, what resources are available to support their success, and access to all information needed to apply.
Workforce and Succession Plan Requirement Policy
In 2023, CalHR updated the Workforce and Succession Plan Requirement Policy requirements for all state organizations with Civil Service employees to meet Government Code Section 19797 (b) by including specific action plans for recruiting, attracting, and retaining employees in classifications with significant underutilizations as identified in the annual workforce analysis process. The policy includes guidelines and references tools and resources that assist departments in identifying appropriate strategies. While it is difficult to quantify the effects of these initiatives, CalHR has supported the state to increase diversity including women.
Upward Mobility Compliance
The Upward Mobility Program is a career mobility program designed to give state employees in low-paying occupations an opportunity to advance to entry-level technical, professional, and administrative positions. Each state agency is required to have an active Upward Mobility Program. CalHR has implemented a compliance program to assist departments and ensure compliance with the statewide Upward Mobility Policy, including having an effective Upward Mobility Program and setting and meeting Upward Mobility goals. This is important because women are under-represented in higher-paid state jobs.21
Training for Best Practices and to Reduce Bias and Barriers to State Employment
In 2016, CalHR re-designed its Best Hiring Practices curriculum for state human resources professionals to include guidance for using unbiased interviewing and screening criteria for state jobs. In 2020, CalHR began providing implicit bias training to promote a more diverse and equitable workplace and has since added several more courses focusing on the broader topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2023, CalHR updated the training curriculum and statewide policy to provide guidance for state human resources professionals during a completed review of a classification to consider if a degree is required as part of the entrance requirements. The updated policy (HR Manual Section #3501) places CalHR in line with Executive Order N-11-23, which put more scrutiny on the standards for including educational component in Minimum Qualifications as an ongoing part of Classification Plan upkeep. CalHR will make revisions to classifications that expand the acceptable area of study where a degree is required, remove job barriers, and make it easier for people to qualify.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Academy
In 2024, CalHR created an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Academy to assist departments in developing EEO professionals who will lead departments in preventing and promptly addressing discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and to ensure compliance with EEO statutes, regulations, policies and procedures. Courses include:
The Role of the EEO Officer
- Roles and responsibilities of the EEO Officer.
- EEO policies, statutes, and regulations.
- Programs in which the EEO Officer has oversight.
EEO Investigations
- Fundamentals of the investigation, including creating a work-plan, handling witness representatives, practical guidance, and up-to-date legal analysis for every step in the investigation process.
- Attendees participate in a mock investigation starting from conducting interviews to reaching factual findings.
- Step-by-step guidance on writing effective investigation reports that are simple, direct, and can withstand legal scrutiny.
Workforce Analysis
- Data collection and analysis of state employee demographic data for monitoring and improving diversity in the workforce. Data analysis includes identifying underutilizations of protected groups, including women, in Civil Service, and setting goals and creating action plans to improve representation of underrepresented groups.
Upward Mobility Coordinator
- Responsibilites of the Upward Mobility Coordinator, including administration and oversight of the program which was designed to assist women and people of color in low-paying entry-level positions.
- How effective administration of the Upward Mobility Program provides employees in low-paying entry-level positions with unique opportunities to build their knowledge, skills and abilities increasing promotional opportunites.
- How the Upward Mobility Program provides data for the Annual Workforce Analysis Report.
Effectively Managing Disability Related & Religious Reasonable Accommodations
- Understand and apply disability and religious-related reasonable accommodation laws.
- Recognize when and how to engage in the interactive process and evaluate accommodation requests.
- Identify and implement reasonable accommodation options effectively.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
In 2022, CalHR created a toolkit containing online resources to support the state to attract, retain and foster a more inclusive workforce. The resources also support employee engagement, merit, wellness, and employee assistance under one cohesive effort to enhance the state’s ability to holistically support the state’s workforce.
Enterprise Data Collection and Analysis
The Key Data Initiative (KDI) is a program at CalHR which focuses on analyzing gender and racial pay equity across all classifications and departments. CalHR has developed new strategies and implemented new technology to report and analyze detailed state employee data including race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. KDI has allowed CalHR to analyze comparable Civil Service and exempt classifications, pay history, demographic makeup, and department usage trends. KDI efforts include creating interactive public dashboards to bring transparency to the state’s hiring and compensation practices. In 2024, CalHR published the 2022 Equal Pay Analysis Dashboard in concurrence with the 2022 Women’s Earnings Report, 2022 State Employee Census Dashboard in concurrence with the 2022 Annual Employee Census Report, and 2023 Total Compensation Dashboard in concurrence with the 2023 Total Compensation Report. The Equal Pay Analysis Dashboard displays information that can be used to evaluate the State of California’s gender pay gap in several ways: by bargaining unit, occupation, classification, ethnicity, Civil Service Executives, Executive-Level Exempts, and allows users to examine the gender pay gap at each department at the detailed occupation or classification level.
In addition to CalHR initiatives, there are policies, programs, and best practices to close the pay gap that are implemented at various state departments. These include implicit bias training, gender neutral language in job postings, increased targeted recruitment, diverse interview panels, and mentorship programs.
Endnotes
[1] Some year-over-year volatility in the gender pay gap can be expected due to changes in the state workforce including movement into different classifications, retirements, and as new employees are hired. ↩
[2] The gender pay gap for 2012 through 2015 was calculated using the median monthly earnings from Table 3 in the 2015 Report on Women’s Earnings in State Civil Service. ↩
[3] Sources of data are from the California State Controller’s Office and the United States (U.S.) Census Bureau, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. ↩
[4] Title 2, Division 5, Part 2 of the California Government Code includes Government Code Sections 18500 – 19799 which covers Civil Service: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayexpandedbranch.xhtml?tocCode=GOV&division=5.&title=2.&part=2 ↩
[5] The monthly base salary in December of each year is used to calculate the statewide gender pay gap. ↩
[6] ACS 1-Year Estimates Detailed Tables 2012 through 2019, 2021 through 2023, and 5-Year Estimate for 2020, retrieved on 12/08/2021, 9/15/2022, and 9/27/2023, and 9/16/2024: https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.B24022?t=Occupation&g=040XX00US06_010XX00US ↩
[7] ACS 1-Year Estimates Detailed Tables 2013 and 2023, retrieved on 9/16/2024: https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2022.S2401?t=Occupation&g=040XX00US06_010XX00US&tid=ACSST1Y2021.S2402 ↩
[8] Pay gaps were rounded to the nearest whole percent, so a difference in median pay between genders of less than half a percent (0.5%) was not considered a pay gap. ↩
[9] Pay gaps were rounded to the nearest whole percent, so a difference in median pay between genders of less than half a percent (0.5%) was not considered a pay gap. ↩
[10] Pay gaps were rounded to the nearest whole percent, so a difference in median pay between genders of less than half a percent (0.5%) was not considered a pay gap. A pay gap could not be calculated for occupations with only one gender, so they were categorized as N/A. ↩
[11] Civil Service’s five largest detailed occupations as of December 2023: Management Analysts (21,817); Correctional Officers (21,016); Office Clerks (9,719); Computer Systems Analysts (9,696); Accountants and Auditors (5,866). ↩
[12] U.S. Labor Market Pay Gap from Bureau of Labor Statistics Table 39. Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex. https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat39.htm ↩
[13] A comparable occupation level gender pay gap report is not available for the California Labor Market. ↩
[14] Pay gaps were rounded to the nearest whole percent, so a difference in median pay between genders of less than half a percent (0.5%) was not considered a pay gap. A pay gap could not be calculated for occupations with only one gender, so they were categorized as N/A. ↩
[15] Civil Service employees are asked to voluntarily self-identify their race/ethnicity and gender upon hire. Federal law requires state departments to visually identify the race/ethnicity and gender of employees who choose not to. ↩
[16] Peace Officer and Firefighter classifications from Units R05, R06, R07, R08, and related excluded. ↩
[17] This analysis is restricted to the Career Executive Assignment classification, class code 7500. ↩
[18] Source: 1301 – Exempt Employee Salary, https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/1301 ↩
[19] The 2023 Report on Women’s Earnings includes more exempt classifications in the “Executive” level category than in the 2020 or 2021 reports. For details, please see the “About the Data” tab in the 2023 Equal Pay Dashboard. ↩
[20] Women represented only 33 percent of Computer Systems Analysts in 2023. Sixty percent of non-traditional apprenticeship participants were women. ↩
[21] Twenty-five percent of women were in a higher-paid bargaining unit compared to 45 percent of men in 2023. ↩


