Jessica Guynn

USA TODAY

Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this report misstated the salary difference between older candidates and younger ones.

SAN FRANCISCO — Being African American in the technology industry can cost you $10,000 a year.

That's one of the findings from a salary survey out Thursday from Hired, an online job marketplace.

The average African-American candidate is nearly 50% more likely to get hired in tech but gets paid about $10,000 less in San Francisco and New York, putting black tech workers at a significant disadvantage, even compared to other minority groups.

The survey found that the average Latino candidate is 26% less likely to get hired than the average white candidate and the average Asian candidate is 45% less likely. But the salaries for both are more in line with white candidates, with Latinos receiving $5,000 less, and Asians receiving $2,000 less on average.

Age is also a major factor. Candidates 45 and over begin to see average salaries decline and also receive fewer job offers. Companies offer an average of $132,000 to candidates between the ages of 50 and 60, which is essentially what they’re offering to candidates who are ten years younger.



Previous studies have found that Hispanics, Asians and blacks do not get equal pay for equal work in the high-tech industry.

This is something of a paradox for an industry that prides itself on being a meritocracy where anyone with smarts, ambition and hard work can make it, regardless of gender, race, nationality or class.

Silicon Valley is struggling to bring more women and underrepresented minorities into the fold. Analyses by USA TODAY and others show the mostly white and Asian male tech sector employs far fewer women and underrepresented minorities than other industries, particularly in Silicon Valley.

Hired found that the average white candidate in software engineering roles in San Francisco and New York requests a salary of $126,000 and ultimately receives an average offer of $125,000. While African-American candidates are much more likely to get hired, in part due to diversity initiatives in the tech industry, they are asking for and receiving a significantly lower salary: $115,000 in San Francisco and $113,000 in New York.

The salary data in the survey reflected more than 280,000 interview requests and job offers from the past year on the Hired platform of more than 5,000 participating companies and 45,000 job seekers.

For more USA TODAY coverage of inclusion and diversity in the tech industry, click or tap here