Black professionals earn significantly less than whites

Black professionals still earn significantly less than their white counterparts, according to research conducted by Analytico, a company that analyses earnings data in the private sector.

Analytico looked at a sample of 65 628 professionals to provide a broad picture of earnings differences. The data was then narrowed down to computer programmers to see if there were pay discrepancies per industry.

Across both genders, the median earnings for black computer programmers working in the formal sector were significantly less than for white programmers.

On average, white computer programmers – male and female – earned a monthly salary of R26 549, compared with black programmers’ take-home pay of R8 014.

White men in the computer programming industry earned a median salary of R29 927 a month, compared with R8 308 for black men working in the same industry.

Thus, black male computer programmers’ median salaries were 27.7% that of their white counterparts.

White women also earned significantly more than their black counterparts.

According to Analytico’s data, white female computer programmers earned a median salary of R18 494, while black women, on average, earned R7 431. Hence, black female programmers earned 40% that of their white equivalents.

The research also showed stark pay differences between the two genders. White male programmers’ median earnings amounted to R29 927, while their female counterparts took home R18 494.

The pay disparity was not as wide between black men and women. According to the data, black male computer programmers earned a median salary of R8 308, compared with R7 431 for black women.

A closer look at the earnings progression with age also showed stark discrepancies between black and white computer programmers.

A 25-year-old black computer programmer earned a median salary of R5 885, compared with R15 781 for a white programmer.

A 35-year old white programmer’s average earnings were R33 910, compared with the R14 945 median earnings of a black programmer of a similar age. – Fin24