The Growing Imbalance: Why Women in Russia Earn Less Than Men

The gender pay gap in Russia has shown a sharp increase, approaching a record mark of 40,000 rubles. According to official Rosstat statistics, the average salary for men in the country stands at 117,700 rubles, while women receive an average of only 79,000 rubles. In absolute terms, this difference has reached 38,700 rubles, indicating a noticeable widening of the gap compared to previous periods. Just two years ago, this figure stood at 26,700 rubles, which confirms a rapid increase in income disparity within the domestic labor market.

The main reason for this trend lies in the structural features of the Russian economy and professional segregation. Men traditionally predominate in the highest-paying, technological, and extractive industries. At the same time, analysts record the deepest salary gap in managerial positions, where the income of male managers can exceed that of women in similar roles by 1.5 times or more.

An additional factor is the duration of working hours: on average, the workweek for men lasts two hours longer. Even taking this factor into account, women's average hourly rate remains significantly lower than men's, reinforcing a pronounced income inequality.