What Percentage Of American Women Hold Jobs?
When it comes to the employment status of women in the United States, the reality is that it has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. Today, women account for nearly half of the American workforce. With that being said, what exactly is the percentage of American women who are working or looking for a job? Let’s take a closer look at the findings.
Current Employment Trends Among American Women
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019 approximately 57.4 percent of American women age 16 and older were employed or actively searching for a job. Of the female workers, 24.4 percent worked full-time and 36 percent worked part-time. The number of women in the workforce increased by 0.7 percent, compared to 2018. Furthermore, there were 103.3 million women employed in the U.S. in 2019, a number which has been steadily increasing since the 1970s.
Employment by Age Group
When looking at the age breakdown of American women in the workforce, certain trends emerge.
• Ages 25 to 34: Older millennials are seeing record high levels of employment in this age group. In 2019, 81.6 percent of American women aged 25 to 34 were employed or actively looking for a job.
• Ages 35 to 44: This age group saw a slight dip in employment in 2019, down to 78.3 percent.
• Ages 45 to 54: This age group typically enjoys the highest levels of employment, with 80.2 percent of women being employed or searching for work.
• Ages 55 and over: This age group experienced a slight increase in employment in 2019, rising to 59.4 percent.
Employment by Race
Women of different racial backgrounds experience varying levels of employment in the U.S.
• White Women: In 2019, 57.9 percent of white women were employed or looking for a job.
• Hispanic Women: This demographic saw the highest rate of employment of any racial group, at 59.4 percent.
• African-American Women: This demographic had the lowest rate of participation in the workforce, with 53.9 percent of African American women employed or looking for a job.
• Asian-American Women: The employment rate of Asian-American women is slightly lower than that of white women, at 57.5 percent.
Employment by Education Level
When looking at the educational attainment of women in the workforce, those with higher levels of education tend to have the highest employment rates.
• Women with a bachelor’s degree or higher: In 2019, 71.4 percent of women with a bachelor’s degree or higher were employed or actively searching for a job.
• Women with some college or an associate degree: The employment rate of this age group was 61.5 percent.
• Women with a high school diploma or equivalent: This demographic saw an employment rate of 59.2 percent.
• Women with less than a high school diploma: Only 41.1 percent of women with less than a high school diploma were employed or looking for a job.
Overall, the findings show that the percentage of American women who are employed or looking for a job is steadily increasing. The age group that saw the highest percentage of women in the workforce in 2019 was 25 to 34, at 81.6 percent. The highest-educated women were also more likely to be employed, with 71.4 percent of women with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the job market. Despite these encouraging numbers, the 2019 statistics also show disparities between women of different racial backgrounds. Hispanic women saw the highest percentage of active employment, at 59.4 percent, while African-American women were the least employed, at 53.9 percent. With that being said, women should be encouraged to take advantage of the millions of job opportunities, especially those with a higher education and those in traditionally male-dominated fields.
