While men consistently earn more than women, on average, the wage gap is narrower in certain states.
According to data from personal finance site NerdWallet, women's earnings are more in line with men's in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Nevada than in most other states in America. For every dollar men take home in these states, women make at least 85 cents.
Here are the five states (and D.C.) with the smallest gender wage gaps:
1. District of Columbia: Women earn 90.1% of what men make
2. Maryland: Women earn 85.3% of what men make
3. Nevada: Women earn 85.3% of what men make
4. Vermont: Women earn 84.9% of what men make
5. New York: Women earn 83.9% of what men make
Nationwide, full-time male workers earn an average 23.6% more than women, which can add up to several hundred dollars a week. Of more than 500 job categories tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women out-earned men in only two occupations in 2012: counselors and health practitioner support technologists and technicians. On the other hand, women have been found to be the bigger earners in part-time jobs.
What states are the worst? According to NerdWallet's data, female earners should beware of Wyoming, Louisiana, West Virginia, Utah, and Alabama (in that order). In each of those states, women earn less than 72 cents for every dollar that men are paid, based on median salaries.
Here's a graphic designed by creative agency Column Five and financial services firm Intuit that shows the pay disparity between men and women in every state:
SEE ALSO: Here's Why You Should Always File Your Taxes, Even If You Made Pennies Last Year