No, women in Columbus do not make 5% more than men

You may have seen a local news article circulating on social media that said women in Columbus earn 5 percent more than men. It took me by surprise because it goes against everything we know.

Turns out, it’s not true. The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio just this year commissioned a study examining the very real pay and wealth gaps between men and women in the region. Gender pay gaps are ubiquitous around the globe.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports median earnings for men in 2017 in Columbus were $44,387, while for women they were $40,113. For the region, 2016 data show men having median earnings of $50,690, while women earned $41,216.

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I contacted the original publisher of the statement saying women in Columbus earn more than men, the web content outlet Fit Small Business, and they told me the writer made an error with the data. They removed the statement and issued a correction. (Scroll down to just below the Raleigh, North Carolina, profile to find the correction language at the asterisk.)

Katy Smith is editor of Columbus CEO.