Black professionals still earn significantly less than their white counterparts, according to research done by Analytico, a company that analyses earnings data in the private sector.
Analytico looked at a sample of 65 628 individuals who work as professionals to provide a broad picture of earnings differences. The data was then narrowed down to computer programmers to see if there are pay discrepancies per industry.
Across both genders, the median earnings for black computer programmers working in the formal sector are significantly less than white ones.
The median earnings for white computer programmers (male and female) are R26 549, whereas black computer programmers have median earnings of R8 014.
White males in the computer programming industry earn a median salary of R29 927/month, compared to R8 308 for black males working in the same industry.
Differently put, black male computer programmers’ median salary is 27,7% that of their white counterparts.
White females also earn significantly more than their black counterparts. According to Analytico’s data white female computer programmers earn a median salary of R18 494, while black females in the same industry have median earnings of R7 431. Black female programmers therefore earn 40% that of their white equivalents.
The research also shows that there are stark pay differences between the two genders. White male programmers had a median earnings of R29 927, while that of their female equivalents were R18 494.
The pay disparity wasn’t as wide between black males and females though. According to the data, black male computer programmers earned a median salary of R8 308, compared to R7 431 for black women.
A closer look at the earnings progression with age also shows stark discrepancies between black and white computer programmers.
A black computer programmer, aged 25 earns a median salary of R5 885, compared to R15 781 for a white equivalent. A 35-year old white computer programmer’s median earnings is R33 910, compared to the R14 945 median earnings of a black programmer of a similar age.