Washington, D.C. — A new Center for American Progress analysis finds that in 2023, 45 percent of mothers were responsible for bringing in the bulk of the earned income for their households. The economic success of women is part of a decadeslong trend in which women have become far more likely to be the family breadwinner than in earlier generations.
The analysis highlights the critical role working women play in supporting their families and emphasizes the need for policies that support women’s economic success for the well-being of their families and the economy. Key findings from the report include:
- 45 percent of mothers were breadwinners, earning at least half of their family’s income.
- 69 percent of Black mothers were breadwinners for their families.
- 3 in 10 married women without children were breadwinners.
- 56 percent of breadwinning mothers had less than a bachelor’s degree.
- Breadwinning women were most likely to work in the educational services, health care, and social assistance industry.
“Breadwinning mothers are not going anywhere. Despite women’s economic impact, the Trump administration continues to try to make it harder for women to make ends meet by taking actions that would strip women of their health insurance coverage, food security, and remove benefits in the tax code that help single mothers make ends meet. These actions not only harm women and their families, but they hurt our economy at large,” said Sara Estep, economist and co-author of the report.
Read the report: “Breadwinning Women Are a Lifeline for Their Families and the Economy” by Kennedy Andara, Sara Estep, and Isabela Salas-Betsch
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].