Israeli Gender Wage Gap Widened in 2018, Report Says

Israel's gender wage gap widened in 2018, according to a new report published Monday by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The average monthly wage of Israeli men in 2018 was NIS 12,559 (approximately $3618). That same year, Israeli women earned on average NIS 8,546 (approximately $2462), or 31.6% less. In 2017, women did slightly better in comparison, earning on average 31% less than their male counterparts. Median wages showed a similar trend, with the median wage gap between men and women increasing from 24.7% in 2017 to 27.5% in 2018.

The difference in compensation can be partially attributed to a difference in work hours: Israeli men work on average a 44.7-hour week, while women work 36.9 hours per week. Still, when calculating the average wage per hour, men earn NIS 66.3 ($19.1), while women earn NIS 55.7 ($16), a 16% gap.

The CBS surveys 9,000 households for its annual income report, published since 1997. Last year, the median wages of Israeli workers climbed 6.3%, to NIS 7,988 ($2301.5). The average wages were up 4% year-over-year, reaching NIS 10,584 ($3049.4).

CBS data shows that while education contributes to earning ability, men benefit from it more. For men and women who have completed 16 years of education, the average hourly pay in 2018 was NIS 89.9 ($25.9), more than two and a half times the average pay for workers with up to nine years of education (NIS 34.6, or $9.97). Among those who have completed 16 years of education, women make, on average, NIS 78.4 (approximately $22.6) per hour, while men make NIS 100.8 (approximately $29).

The report also addressed the wage gap between Jewish Israelis and Arabs with Israeli citizenship. While the former earn, on average, NIS 11,191 (approximately $3224) per month, the latter earn NIS 7,338 (approximately $2114).