Moms top earners in 40% of US families

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

A record number of American women are the sole or primary breadwinners in their families, a sign of the rising influence of working mothers, a new study finds. Mothers now keep finances afloat in 40 percent of households with children, up from just 11 percent in 1960.

Though most of these families are headed by single mothers, a growing number are married mothers who bring in more income than their husbands, according to a study released today by the Pew Research Center.

As the numbers have shifted, however, public attitudes have remained mixed regarding the impact of working mothers on families. People are not at all sure that it’s a good thing.

Demographers say the change is all but irreversible and is likely to bring added attention to child-care policies as well as government safety nets for vulnerable families.

The trend is being driven mostly by long-term demographic changes, including higher rates of education and labor-force participation dating back to the 1960s’ women’s movement. Today, women are more likely than men to hold bachelor’s degrees, and they make up nearly half — 47 percent — of the American workforce.

But recent changes in the economy, too, have played a part. Big job losses in manufacturing and construction, fields that used to provide high pay to a mostly male workforce, have lifted the relative earnings of married women, even among those in mid-level positions such as teachers, nurses or administrators.