White House says over half of new hires are women, narrowing gender pay gap

An annual report released by the White House on Thursday reveals that roughly 56% of the senior staff is made up of women, and 36% come from racially and-or ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Why it matters: In an accompanying fact sheet the Biden administration said the data showed it to be the "most diverse Administration in history" while narrowing the White House staff's gender pay gap to near parity.

The big picture: The average compensation for men and women is "roughly equal," with female staffers earning on average $93,752 and male staffers earning on average $94,639, the fact sheet notes.

• The Biden administration has also sought to further its commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion by instituting pay bands, implementing the first-ever chief diversity and inclusion director, and providing trainings for equitable hiring practices, among other initiatives.

Of note: The gender pay gap in the Biden White House is roughly 1%, a narrowing from the first year of the Trump administration, during which the gender pay gap was roughly 37%, according to the Associated Press.

• The gender pay gap in the first year of the Obama administration was about 16%, per AP.

What they're saying: "In alignment with the President’s commitment to diversity and pay equity, the White House has taken significant steps to ensure the White House staff reflects the diversity of the country and the highest standards economic and social justice for all," the fact sheet read.