How Latinas in Tech Can Close Their Gender Pay Gap in 2025
Imagine working just as hard, if not harder, than your colleagues, only to take home nearly half the pay. For Latinas in tech, this isn’t hypothetical. It’s reality. In 2025, Latinas still earn just ~52 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. Let that sink in.
For Latinas in the workforce, especially in the tech industry, one of the most glaring barriers is the gender pay gap.
This isn’t about waiting for companies to "do the right thing." It’s about taking action, knowing your worth, and demanding fair pay.
So, what do we do? We stop waiting. We start demanding. And we take control.
What Causes the Gender Pay Gap for Latinas in Tech?
Latinas aren’t just fighting a gender pay gap—they’re also battling racial and gender biases that keep them underpaid. If you’ve ever wondered why your paycheck isn’t adding up, here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:
1. Low Starting Salaries
The pay gap doesn’t just happen overnight. It starts the moment you accept your first offer. Companies often underpay Latinas from day one, locking them into a lifetime of lower earnings.
Every future raise is based on that first number. If you start $10K below your peers, you’re forever playing catch-up.
That’s why salary negotiation at every stage is critical. If you don’t set your worth from the beginning, companies won’t do it for you.
2. The "Broken Rung" Phenomenon
A report from Lean In found that for every 100 men promoted to a managerial position, only 75 Latinas get the same opportunity. And if you’re not getting promoted, you’re not getting the bigger paychecks that come with it.
No promotions = no pay raises.
This gender pay gap isn’t just about paychecks, but about economic survival. Over a lifetime, Latinas lose more than $1 million due to pay disparities. That’s lost investments, lost homeownership, lost financial security.
3. Bias in Salary Negotiations
Latinas who negotiate are twice as likely to be perceived as "pushy," and it hurts their career progression. Meanwhile, men who negotiate? They’re seen as ambitious.
This double standard reinforces the pay gap—it pressures women into accepting lower pay to avoid being penalized for speaking up. But companies expect you to negotiate. If they’re hiring you, it means they have the budget. It’s on you to claim it.
4. The “Cultural Tax”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been asked to sit in on DEI Panels, mentor junior hires, or be the “diversity voice” in meetings … for free.
This extra work, known as the “cultural tax,” eats up time and energy without adding a dime to your salary.
Companies love using diversity stats to make themselves look good, but they rarely compensate the very people making that representation happen.
See the problem?
Low Starting Salaries: Many Latinas accept initial offers that are far below industry standards, making it harder to catch up over time.
The "Broken Rung" Phenomenon: Latinas are often stuck at the entry and mid-career level, unable to break into leadership roles.
Bias in Salary Negotiations: Research shows women of color face backlash when they negotiate, reinforcing the wage gap.
The “Cultural Tax”: Latinas are expected to mentor, lead DEI efforts, and do extra work—without additional pay.
How Latinas in Tech Can Close Their Gender Pay Gap
Waiting for companies to “do the right thing” is not a strategy. Latinas need to take control of their salaries now.
The good news is that Latinas are negotiating, pushing for promotions, and demanding more.
Here’s how you can take control of your salary today:
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Market Value
If you don’t know what you should be making, you can’t negotiate effectively. You need data.
Use salary benchmarking tools like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, LinkedIn Salary Insights, and PayScale.
Talk to other Latinas in tech. Salary transparency is critical in closing the gap.
Track your wins. document your work impact, from revenue growth to problem-solving achievements.
Step 2: Master Salary Negotiation. It’s a Game, Learn to Play It
Companies expect you to negotiate. If you don’t, you’re leaving thousands on the table.
Never accept the first offer. It’s always lower than what they’re willing to pay.
If they say "budget constraints," ask for equity, bonuses, or increased benefits.
Practice your ask. Confidence in negotiation comes from preparation.
One of my clients countered a lowball offer by pulling industry salary data and presenting her contributions in numbers. Guess what? She walked away with a $40K salary bump.
Step 3: Find Community and Mentorship. Latinas Can’t Do This Alone
Your network can change your paycheck. I’ve seen firsthand how Latinas who connect with the right networks move up faster and earn more.
Join groups like Latinas in Tech, Mujeres in STEM, and The C³ community for Latinas
Find a sponsor, not just a mentor. Mentors give advice and sponsors advocate for you in rooms you’re not in.
Push for Latina representation in leadership, because change starts from the top.
Step 4: Hold Companies Accountable… Because We’ve Waited Long Enough
Companies won’t fix what they don’t measure. That’s why pay transparency and audits matter.
Advocate for pay audits and salary transparency laws to force companies to fix disparities.
Push for standardized salary bands to eliminate bias in negotiation and promotions.
Call out performative diversity efforts—if they’re not paying Latinas fairly, their DEI statement means nothing.
Step 5: Use Policy and Legislation to Your Advantage
Support salary history bans. Employers can’t use your past low salary to underpay you.
Push for gender pay gap reporting to expose workplace inequality.
Get involved in state and federal initiatives that promote Latina pay equity.
The Role of Decision Makers in Closing the Gender Pay Gap
2025 is about taking action.
Here’s what needs to change:
Tech companies must commit to salary transparency and equitable hiring practices.
Employers must conduct regular pay equity audits to correct wage disparities.
More Latinas need access to leadership roles where decisions about pay are made.
Latinas in tech can’t afford to wait. Keep negotiating. Keep demanding more. Your voice, your work, and your worth matter.
FAQs: Gender Pay Gap and Latina Pay Equity
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No, the gender pay gap is not a myth. It is a well-documented economic disparity where women, on average, earn less than men for the same work. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women in the U.S. earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, and for Latinas, this drops to 52 cents per dollar compared to white, non-Hispanic men.
The gender wage gap is influenced by factors such as unequal starting salaries, bias in promotions, occupational segregation, and discrimination in salary negotiations. Even after adjusting for education, experience, and industry, studies consistently show that a pay gap remains due to systemic biases.
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The gender pay gap is calculated by comparing the median earnings of men and women who work full-time, year-round. The formula used is:
(Median earnings of women ÷ Median earnings of men) × 100
For example, if men have a median annual salary of $60,000 and women have a median annual salary of $50,000, the wage gap would be:
($50,000 ÷ $60,000) × 100 = 83.3%
This means women earn 83.3 cents for every dollar men earn, and the wage gap is 16.7%. The calculation accounts for overall differences in pay but does not control for specific job roles, experience, or industries unless specified in the analysis.
Latinas Deserve More, And We’re Taking It
The gender pay gap is about more than money. It’s about power, opportunity, and financial security. Latinas in tech are working just as hard, delivering the same (or better) results, yet still making 51 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. That’s not just unfair, it’s unacceptable.
No one is going to hand us pay equity. We have to take it.
Negotiate your salaries and promotions like your career depends on it; because it does.
We can’t afford to wait. The time to break this cycle is now.
Latinas in tech aren’t just showing up, we’re showing up and demanding to get paid.
Are you ready to stop waiting and start earning what you deserve?