Joe Tamborello

joe.tamborello@indystar.com

Indiana's lack of tax-funded pre-K leads to pay inequality between men and women in Indiana, according to a new study.

Parents of young children in Indiana must either leave the workforce or incur the high cost of private daycare, the study by 24/7 Wall St. states.

The study looked at female earnings compared to men, the percentage of women holding management positions in each state, how many 3 to 4-year-olds are enrolled in state-funded pre-K programs and how many legislative seats are held by women in each state.

Indiana ranked 44th overall.

How the Hoosier state ranked in each category:

Female earnings as percent of male: 75.9%

Possibly the most important element in gender inequality, according to the study, is the wage gap. Indiana ranked 12th worst with women earning roughly 76 cents for every dollar earned by a man. Wyoming, whose state motto is "Equal Rights," finished in last place. Wyoming women earn 64 cents for every dollar earned by a man.

Percentage of management jobs held by women: 40.8%

Indiana ranked higher in this category, finishing 17th highest.

Percentage of3 to 4-year-olds enrolled in state pre-K: 0%

With zero percent enrolled in a non-existent system, Indiana ranks the lowest out of 50 states in this category.

State-funded daycare and pre-K programs allow parents to balance careers and childcare, the study states.

“If a family has to choose between someone being fully engaged in work and someone being a caregiver, the logical choice is the one who earns less will be the one to back off, and in most cases that will be the woman in the family," Julie Anderson, a research associate at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, explained.

Simply put, maternity in a state without tax-funded pre-K can take women out of the workforce.

Indy pre-K shatters goals, setting up funding fight in 2017

Percentage of legislative seats held by women: 20.7%

Women are less likely to be elected into public office in Indiana. In the state's 200-year history, a woman has never been elected governor.

A study on gender pay gaps by the The American Association of University Women conducted in September ranked Indiana No. 40 in the nation.

New study says Indiana has one of the largest gender pay gaps in U.S.

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