July 9, 2025
Data from the Economic Policy Institute shows Black women make up more than one in five local government workers and more than one in four state government workers in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Maryland.
New research found that the efforts by the Trump administration and Congress to cut the federal workforce, funding to states, and public services will disproportionately harm Black women who hold many of these jobs.Â
According to the Economic Policy Institute, jobs in the public sector are not only a key driver of economic growth but also increase the quality of life, especially in the South. Jobs in the public sector are represented at the federal, state, and local levels, impacting education for children, caring for the elderly, ensuring that vulnerable communities have access to quality water and food, and many other essential services.
Black workers have historically faced widespread discrimination in the private sector, from hiring practices, pay, sexism, and even being limited to menial jobs. With the disinvestment in the public sector, Black women will be impacted even more, particularly in the South region.
Data from the Economic Policy Institute shows Black women make up more than one in five local government workers and more than one in four state government workers in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Maryland. They also make up 22.5% of the federal workforce in Georgia, 18.5% in Maryland, and 11.5% in Texas. In the public sector, Black women are the most educated, comprising 43.8% of those in the federal government. Roughly half of those working in state (49.3%) and local (50.9%) governments have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with just 26.3% of those in the private sector.
How Disinvestment Will Impact Jobs For Black Women in the Public Sector
Black women in the public sector serve as managers, educators, and professionals in various capacities. More than half of Black women in the federal workforce are employed in management (25.1%) and professional (25.5%) occupations. In state and local government, more Black women work in professional occupations (41.9% and 49.0%) than in any other profession.
With workforce cuts in the public sector, the EPI predicts that there will be fewer personnel to address concerns related to Social Security benefits, veterans’ care, disaster preparation and response, and other services that families rely on.
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