New 2024 Pay Gap Report Confirms What Latinas in Tech Live Every Day
Payscale just released the 2024 Gender Pay Gap Report, and honestly? Not much has changed.
Latinas are still being significantly underpaid, earning just 78 cents to the dollar compared to white men even when they have the same job, qualifications, and experience. When we look at the broader, uncontrolled gap (across all roles and industries), that number drops to 52-57 cents.
As a salary negotiation coach specifically for Latinas in tech, here’s what that tells me:
We are not dealing with a “skills gap” or a “pipeline issue.”
We’re dealing with a recognition gap, in how our work is valued, how opportunities are distributed, and how bias still shapes pay decisions.
What I See in This Pay Gap Report as a Career Coach
When I read through this year’s report, a few things stood out that I want to break down for you:
1. Representation is not the same as compensation
More Latinas are entering the tech space, but that hasn’t translated to pay equity. The problem isn’t just getting in the door. It’s what happens once we’re inside: being underleveled, underpromoted, and underpaid.
Want to see how to push back once you’re in the door? Read How Latinas in Tech Can Close the Gender Gap.
2. Pay gaps don’t just show up, they're created and maintained
The data shows that women of color are more likely to be offered lower starting salaries, and many accept them, often without knowing they’re low. That first number sets the pace for your future raises, bonuses, and stock options. It becomes the baseline you’re measured against.
3. Bias shows up in how performance is evaluated
Even when we deliver results, we’re more likely to be described as “hard-working” instead of “strategic” or “leadership material,” and that language impacts promotion decisions and pay bumps.
What this Pay Gap Means for Your Career
If you're a Latina in tech reading this, you may be wondering:
What am I supposed to do with this information if the system itself is broken?
Fair question. Here's my take:
Awareness is step one, but it can't stop there.
You need tools, language, and strategy to navigate your next compensation conversation.
You don’t need to fix the whole system yourself, but you can absolutely shift your own outcome within it.
Want to learn how? Read The Pay Gap in Tech Is a Power Game and Latinas Need to Take Control.
How Latinas Can Respond to the Pay Gap
If you're feeling frustrated or unsure how to respond to this kind of data, here are some clear next steps:
Audit your compensation
Compare your current compensation to what the market says someone with your role, experience, and skillset should be earning. Tools like Payscale, Levels.fyi, and Glassdoor are a good starting point, but also talk to trusted peers and mentors.
Document your value
Make a habit of tracking your wins: outcomes, metrics, feedback, and cross-functional impact. This is the evidence you need to advocate for yourself when the time comes.
Practice salary negotiation with strategy
You don’t have to be “aggressive” or “pushy” to negotiate. You do need to be informed, practiced, and confident in stating your number. Most companies expect it, and respect it.
Don’t go it alone
If you’re not sure where to start or how to say the words, get support. Whether that’s a coach, community, or mentor, the right guidance can change everything.
The 2024 report confirms what many of us have already felt firsthand: we’re still being asked to do more while being paid less.
FAQs: Pay Gap Report
-
Because the system was designed to reward whiteness and maleness.
Bias shows up in hiring, in salary offers, in how we’re evaluated, and in who gets promoted. The data confirms it’s not about talent or qualifications, it’s about how value is distributed. -
Negotiation. Your starting salary is everything. It sets the pace for future raises, bonuses, and equity.
Negotiating, even if you don’t get everything, signals that you know your worth. It changes how they see you. -
That’s not a you problem. That’s a training gap no one ever taught us to close.
But it’s a skill you can learn. And once you do, you never go back to begging.
Start with small asks, get support, and practice saying your number with confidence.
Final Thoughts on Pay Gap Report
The 2024 report confirms what many of us already knew deep down. We’re still being asked to do more while being paid less.
But here’s what I tell every Latina I work with:
You are not powerless.
You are not being unreasonable for wanting more.
And you are not alone.
If you're ready to start shifting your numbers, your mindset, and your strategy, I’m here to help you do that, one conversation at a time.
Ready to take the first step?