The Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report shows that women employed in restoration-related trades — including water damage restoration, fire and smoke restoration, and mold remediation — earn a median hourly wage of $24.80 compared to $26.40 for men in the same occupations, a ratio of 94 cents on the dollar.
That gap is significantly narrower than the broader construction industry, where women earn 88 cents on the dollar, and the overall private sector, where the ratio is 83 cents.
Researchers at the Economic Policy Institute attribute the narrower gap in restoration trades to the prevalence of certification-based pay scales. "When compensation is tied to IICRC credentials rather than negotiated individually, it tends to compress wage gaps," said EPI Senior Economist Elise Gould. "The restoration industry's reliance on standardized certifications creates a more transparent pay structure."
The data also shows that women in restoration management roles — project managers, estimators, and operations directors — earn 97 cents on the dollar compared to male counterparts, the narrowest gap of any construction management category.
