The class divide among women in the workplace is widening
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College-educated women, particularly mothers, triumphed in the work force in recent years; for those without a degree, the story is less rosy.
Why it matters: The difference is likely about job quality — women with degrees can land positions with paid leave and flexibility that allow them to manage parenting and paid work (a responsibility that they're more likely to shoulder).
- Those without degrees are not as lucky and are more likely to wind up in low-paying, service-sector roles with inconsistent schedules.
By the numbers: The share of college-educated women age 25-44 working full time increased to 73%, from 64%, over the past two decades, per an analysis of Census data shared exclusively with Axios, by Third Way, a center-left think tank.
- Non-college women's participation in the workforce meanwhile has essentially stagnated, only increasing by a single percentage point to 53% over that same period.
Zoom in: Mothers with college degrees are driving these advances.
- The share working full-time spiked to 68% in 2024, from 57% in 2004; while not budging for moms who didn't finish college.
The big picture: The rise of remote work has been particularly pivotal for women, allowing them to stay employed and still get parenting done — take children to the doctor, drop them off at the bus, etc.
Friction point: The education divide is even worse for men.
- The share of men without college degrees in the workforce has been declining for years, for different reasons — and not merely stagnating as it is for their women peers.
Between the lines: Unlike other advanced economies, the U.S. doesn't have any kind of nationwide paid family leave or sick leave offerings — instead it's left up to private businesses to decide what kinds of benefits to offer employees.
- Half of employed women with a college degree are in jobs with paid family leave — allowing them to take time off to have a baby and stay employed.
- Just 38% of women without a degree get that benefit.
- They also may have less money to access childcare — or be unable to find that kind of help for work that takes place at nights or on the weekend.
The bottom line: "It's hard to say that we're making progress in supporting working women, if only those with college degrees seemed to be the ones benefiting," says Curran McSwigan, deputy director of the economic program at Third Way, who authored the analysis.
