NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Women don't need statistics to know they're paid less than men. But on national Pay Equity Day, there's more than one reminder of just how far there is to go.
"Across all industries, women earned 76 cents on the dollar compared to men," said Thomas Costa the Director of the Government Accountability Office.
The longer women are in the workforce and the higher they climb, the greater the pay gap.
"Women managers earned just 71 cents for every dollar paid to men," Costa said.
And it's even worse for women of color.
A new report shows the gap is slightly closer in New York State, but the message today isn't about the difference in pennies rather the long-term effects.
"When women earn less we invest less," Former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said. "It's a ripple effect."
Which is why 25-year-old Kimberly Nguyen of Queens was floored by a job post for the same position as hers at the same company, starting at $32,000 more than what she makes.
That's when Nguyen took the issue to social media.
"I was honestly disappointed and upset because I was asking for a raise for about 3 months," Nguyen said.
She isn't sure if men make more than her at her company but she thinks New York state's new wage transparency law will help her advocate for better pay. And she hopes other young women do the same.
"I definitely would push for a higher salary and for young people don't be afraid to ask for more the worse that happens is people say no and always keep your options open just in case," Nguyen said.
Better pay now will make a huge difference in the long run for women in the workforce.
"We estimated that a woman's total earnings over a 44-year career were about half a million less than a man's," Costa said. "Suggesting a woman would have to work an additional 10 years to match a man's earning."
A powerful reason to demand pay equity.
WATCH | Sade Baderinwa hosts UN's observance of International Women's Day
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