As Geoff Pender reported earlier this month, Mississippi is the only state without an equal pay law. And his analysis found that compared to the rest of the country, Mississippi’s gender pay gap is higher than the national average of 19%. According to the American Association of University Women, women in the Magnolia State earn 23% less of what men earn, which translates to a rank of 41 out of 51 states and 13 out of the 17 Southern states.

View our data illustrating the varying gender pay gap in the Southern United States:

READ MORE:

• Will Mississippi continue to short-change women on equal pay?

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Nigel Dent, a native of Natchez, is Mississippi Today’s audience journalist. He works as a member of the audience team to engage with readers, create audience-centered resources and distribute Mississippi Today’s news across various digital platforms, including social media and newsletter products.