Over seven in 10 mothers in the workforce work full time and year-round, and in 2023 those hardworking mothers were paid only 74 cents for every dollar paid to full-time, year-round working fathers. Moreover, the wage gap widens when part-time and part-year workers are included: Mothers were typically paid just 62 cents for every dollar paid to fathers.

We need public investments and policies that support economic opportunity and address the problematic inequities failing mothers every single day, robbing them of tens of thousands of dollars every year, making it more difficult to make ends meet, and preventing them and their families from building wealth.

See our full factsheet.

Source Note: “What Mothers Make for Every Dollar Fathers Make” is the ratio of mothers’ and fathers’ median earnings. Full-time, year-round workers are defined as people working at least 35 hours per week and at least 50 weeks per year. Mothers and fathers have at least one related child under age 18 at home. NWLC national calculations based on 2023 American Community Survey data extract from IPUMS. NWLC statewide calculations based on 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-year average using IPUMS.