Final answer:
Women represent a significant but unspecified percentage of tipped workers in the U.S., contributing to the ongoing wage gap. Despite advances in education and workforce participation, barriers like the glass ceiling continue to hamper equal economic representation and hinder progress toward closing the wage gap.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women represent a significant percentage of tipped workers in the United States, which is a contributing factor to the wage gap. While the specific percentage is not provided in the reference information, it is clear that women have historically been concentrated in lower-paying jobs and have faced challenges in earning equal pay for equal work. The issue of wage disparity is complex and influenced by a variety of factors including but not limited to occupational segregation, career interruptions, and hours worked. Additionally, women also tend to earn less throughout their lifespan when compared to their male counterparts.
Over time, women have made significant strides in education and workforce participation. For instance, the percentage of women receiving undergraduate and professional degrees has increased dramatically since the 1970s. Despite these educational gains and increased labor force participation, women have not yet achieved a level of representation in the highest echelons of the largest companies or in the U.S. Congress that is commensurate with their societal and economic contributions. This suggests that factors such as the glass ceiling still exist, further perpetuating the wage gap.