Taiwanese men earn 57% more than women in 2023, but gap narrowed

Taipei, July 30 (CNA) Taiwanese men earned about 1.57 times more than women in 2023 on average but the gap was narrowed from 1.6 times recorded in 2022, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Wednesday.

Citing data compiled from tax returns filed in 2024 for income earned in 2023, the MOF said the average total income of men in Taiwan was NT$746,708 (US$25,142), compared with NT$475,454 in average income for women, representing a 1.57-times gap.

The 2023's income gap not only was narrowed down from 2022, but also fell to its lowest level in three years, the MOF said.

In terms of salary alone, men in Taiwan averaged NT$822,709 in salary in 2023, about 1.41 times more than the NT$582,463 averaged by women, the MOF said.

The average income related to professional practices generated by men in Taiwan totaled NT$219,194 in 2023, compared with NT$117,716 posted by women, a gap of 1.86 times.

In addition, men in Taiwan also earned an average NT$199,336 in stock dividends in 2023, about 1.68 times more than NT$118,618 posted by women, but 3.36 million men received dividends, compared to 3.90 million women, the MOF said.

The higher stock dividends received by men indicated that more men than women in Taiwan were owners, managers or board members of companies, the MOF added.

Women had higher retirement income than men, however, averaging NT$594,452 in retirement income in 2023 compared to NT$537,333 for men.

According to the MOF, the number of companies with NT$1 billion or more in paid-in capital totaled 2,723 in 2024, with 2,304 of them having men as responsible persons, accounting for 84.6 percent of the total.

Men made up 54 percent of the total NT$44.45 trillion in outstanding home mortgages designated for young people provided by eight MOF-invested banks in 2024, with women taking up the remaining 46 percent, the ministry said.

In addition, men accounted for 69.6 percent of the total NT$8.61 trillion in outstanding loans for starting businesses designated for young people, while women represented the remaining 30.4 percent, the ministry said.