New Data Dashboards Reveal Occupational Segregation's Impact on Workers of Color in Washington State
New interactive data tools make visible what many workers in our region already know from experience: the jobs where people of color are concentrated are, overwhelmingly, the jobs that don't pay enough to cover basic needs.
The University of Washington's Center for Women's Welfare—whose research the WDC has long supported—has released a new set of interactive dashboards examining occupational segregation in Washington State. The dashboards draw on the Self-Sufficiency Standard, the same rigorous cost-of-living measure behind the Overlooked and Undercounted report we published in September 2023, which found that 28% of Washington's working-age households cannot meet their basic needs.
These new dashboards go deeper—moving from who is struggling to why, by showing how workers are sorted into occupations along lines of race and gender, and what that sorting costs them.
What the Data Shows
Occupational segregation—the unequal concentration of demographic groups into certain jobs—is not a relic of the past. It is an ongoing, measurable force shaping economic outcomes across our state.
Women and people of color remain concentrated in low-wage, care-focused roles like health care support, child care, food service, and personal care—work that is essential but chronically undervalued. Women of color make up 16% of Washington's workforce but are overrepresented in the lowest-paid occupations, including cashiers, cooks, customer service representatives, agricultural workers, and personal care aides. Most of these jobs fail to meet Self-Sufficiency Standard needs, especially for families with young children.
At the same time, women of color are underrepresented in occupations that typically provide adequate earnings, such as software development, nursing, and accounting. Even when they do hold these roles, a pay gap persists: women of color working as software developers in Washington earn $14 less per hour than white men in the same occupation.
These patterns aren't accidental. They are the product of intentional policies, historical bias, and structural barriers that compound at the intersection of race and gender.
Explore the Dashboards
The three interactive Tableau dashboards below allow you to examine occupational segregation and income inadequacy in detail. You can explore which demographic groups are concentrated in which occupations, see rates of income inadequacy by job type, and look up specific occupations to understand who is working in them and whether those jobs meet basic needs.
Dashboard 1 — Occupational segregation in Washington State: Top ten occupations by demographic characteristics
Dashboard 2 — Percent with earnings below the Standard by occupation: Dropdown lookup by occupation
Dashboard 3 — Select demographic characteristics by occupation type: Find the percentage of workers who cannot meet their basic needs
Dashboards produced by Annie Kucklick, Director of Research & Impact, and Sarah Brolliar, Researcher, at the UW Center for Women's Welfare. Funded by the Harry Bridges Labor Center and the Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety at the University of Washington.
Why This Matters Now
Nearly two and a half years after the Overlooked and Undercounted report revealed that more than one in four Washington households can't meet their basic needs, these dashboards sharpen the picture—showing that the problem isn't just about wages being too low. It's about which workers end up in which jobs, and why.
Occupational segregation limits wealth-building, perpetuates poverty, and increases the risk of income inadequacy for children—effects that fall hardest on Black, Latinx, American Indian, and Pacific Islander communities. As the original report documented, 45% of Black households and 45% of Latinx households in Washington struggle to make ends meet, compared to 24% of white households. These new dashboards make clear that the occupational structure itself is a driving force behind those disparities.
This data is not just a diagnosis. It's a tool for action. Researchers at CWW are currently partnering with the Fair Work Center to identify high-priority occupations where workers are most likely to be financially insecure, and to conduct surveys and focus groups that center workers' own perspectives. That research, developed in partnership with unions, will inform advocacy for concrete changes—from labor standards for domestic workers to workplace safety protections for agricultural and restaurant workers to rights for gig workers.
What You Can Do
Explore the dashboards to understand how occupational segregation shapes economic outcomes in your community.
Share this data with colleagues, partners, and policymakers who are working on workforce equity, economic development, or racial justice.
Read the full Overlooked and Undercounted report for the broader picture of economic insecurity in Washington State: Full Report
Contact Annie Kucklick at akuckl@uw.edu for more information on the data, methodology, or to explore replicating this analysis in your state.
The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County funds research and partnerships that advance economic opportunity and racial equity across the region. The Self-Sufficiency Standard and related research are produced by the Center for Women's Welfare at the University of Washington School of Social Work.