The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) released data revealing that men in Brazil earned an average salary 16.3% higher than women in 2021, according to the Central Register of Companies (Cempre) survey.
The study also indicated that men comprised the majority among employees in companies.
The survey highlighted that men received an average monthly salary of R$ 3,484.24 (US$711), while women earned R$ 2,995.07.
The average salary paid by companies slightly decreased from R$ 3,353.07 to R$ 3,266.53 in 2021.
Despite the gender wage gap, the study revealed an increase in female participation in the labor market.
After a decline in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s presence in the workforce grew from 44.3% to 44.9% in 2021.
Men accounted for 55.1% of jobs in companies during the same period.
The historical data series, which began in 2009, demonstrates a gradual improvement in female representation among company employees.
In the initial year of the survey, women held 41.9% of jobs, marking a three-percentage-point increase.
In 2021, the study also reported a 5.8% growth in the number of companies and organizations in the country, reaching 5.7 million.
Furthermore, the number of partners and owners increased by 5.1%, totaling 7.7 million.
The total employment figure within these organizations reached 47.6 million, representing a 4.9% increase compared to 2020.