More Wives Out-Earning Their Husbands

Racquel Williams Reporting

There have been some changes at the home front with regard to marriages, as a Pew Research survey finds a growing number of women have emerged as the bread winners.

The study shows 22 percent of women earned more than their husbands in 2007, compared to just 4 percent in 1970. The number of wives with more education is also climbing. The study suggests the economic gains associated with marriage have been greater for men than for women. Mary Gatta with the Rutgers Center for Women and Work says while the advancements are not to be ignored.

"Women increasing their share of bread winning doesn't necessarily translate into equality." says Gatta. "Women still don't have equity in household work, and childcare and elder care also fall on women." Gatta also points out that the labor market is still not equal.

Women are moving toward a new milestone in which they constitute half of all the employed. Their share increased from 46.5% in december 2007 to 47.4% in december 2009. The study also shows the number of wives with more education is also climbing, something Gatta says greatly impacts this trend.

The study goes on to show that in 2007, median household incomes of three groups -- married men, married women and unmarried women -- were about 60% higher than those of their counterparts in 1970. But for a fourth group, unmarried men, the rise in real median household income was smaller -- just 16%. (These household income figures are adjusted for household size and for inflation.

Also in 1970, 28% of wives ages 30-44 had husbands who were better educated than they were, outnumbering the 20% whose husbands had less education. By 2007, these patterns had reversed: 19% of wives had husbands with more education, versus 28% whose husbands had less education. In the remaining couples -- about half in 1970 and 2007 -- spouses have similar education levels.

E-Mail

A A A

Dennis & Michele Rewind