Women’s career advancement remains closely connected to the demands of family caregiving, with new research documenting differences in how mothers and fathers experience work and parenting. More than half of full-time working mothers surveyed said parenthood made it harder to advance at work, compared with 38% of working fathers.

Key Takeaways

• 52% of full-time working mothers said parenthood made career advancement harder, compared with 38% of working fathers

• Women living in households with children under six spent an average of 2.8 hours daily on primary childcare in 2025, compared with 1.7 hours for men

• Women accounted for 61% of American family caregivers in 2025

• 67% of working mothers said they could not give their all at home, while 56% reported the same difficulty at work

• Family caregiving can affect women’s working hours, earnings, financial well-being and opportunities for professional advancement

Pew Research Shows Career Advancement Challenges for Working Mothers

An analysis from the Pew Research Center found that 52% of full-time working mothers said being a parent made it somewhat or a lot harder to advance at work. Among full-time working fathers, 38% reported the same experience.

The analysis draws on surveys of U.S. adults and working parents, alongside employment and time-use data. Its findings place career advancement within a broader picture of caregiving, work-family balance and women’s earnings.

The results highlight differences in how mothers and fathers manage professional and family commitments. Working mothers were also more likely to report difficulty giving their full attention to responsibilities at home and at work.

These findings show how family responsibilities can shape employees’ professional experiences. They also raise questions about the availability of workplace support for people managing childcare and other family obligations.

Women Continue to Carry a Larger Share of Family Caregiving Responsibilities

Women perform more primary childcare than men in households with young children, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025 American Time Use Survey. Women living in households with children under six spent an average of 2.8 hours per day providing primary childcare, compared with 1.7 hours for men.

The difference reflects the time required for activities such as feeding, bathing, supervising and reading to children. These responsibilities can affect employees’ availability when professional duties require additional hours or participation outside regular schedules.

Family caregiving also extends beyond raising children. The 2025 Caregiving in the U.S. report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving estimated that 63 million Americans provided ongoing care to adults or children with medical conditions or disabilities. Women represented 61% of these family caregivers, while 59 million caregivers were supporting adults.

Care for aging relatives is another responsibility that can overlap with employment. Pew Research Center found that among adults with a parent, spouse or partner aged 65 or older, 28% of women identified themselves as caregivers, compared with 23% of men.

These responsibilities can involve arranging medical appointments, assisting with daily activities and coordinating family support. They may also require attention during normal working hours, particularly when relatives need immediate assistance.

Women can therefore face overlapping responsibilities at different stages of their careers. Mothers may manage childcare while also supporting aging parents or other relatives.

Louisiana survey findings on childcare barriers for working mothers also document how care difficulties can affect employment schedules, working hours and professional decisions.

Working Mothers Report Conflicting Demands at Home and Work

The Pew Research Center analysis examined whether working parents felt able to give their full attention to professional and family responsibilities.

Among full-time working mothers, 67% said they had been unable to give their all at home during the previous 12 months because they were balancing work and family responsibilities. Another 56% said they experienced the same difficulty at work.

Working fathers reported lower figures. Half said they could not give their all at home, while 38% reported difficulty giving their full attention at work.

The comparison shows that working mothers were more likely than fathers to experience pressure in both areas. The findings also illustrate how professional responsibilities and household demands can compete for the same available time.

For women with demanding jobs, family obligations may require adjustments to working schedules or professional commitments. An employee may need to leave work to address a family matter, coordinate childcare or manage an appointment during regular working hours.

These situations can make it more difficult to accept additional responsibilities or maintain consistent availability. They can also affect the time employees have for professional development and other career activities.

The findings do not suggest that all working mothers experience the same challenges. However, the differences between mothers and fathers indicate that family responsibilities remain an important consideration in understanding workplace experiences.

Caregiving Responsibilities Affect Women’s Professional and Financial Opportunities

Caregiving responsibilities can influence career progression through reduced working hours, employment changes and interruptions to professional development.

Employees who reduce their hours or leave their jobs to provide care may have fewer opportunities to build experience, qualify for senior positions or pursue additional responsibilities. These decisions can also affect their earnings over time.

The Pew Research Center analysis examines the relationship between family caregiving and the persistent gender wage gap. In 2025, women’s median hourly earnings were approximately 86% of men’s median hourly earnings.

The analysis also identifies a pattern in which women can lose ground relative to men in their earnings as they progress through their careers. This period often overlaps with the years when many women begin taking on additional family caregiving responsibilities.

Care for aging relatives can also have direct financial consequences. Among full-time working adults who provided assistance to an aging parent, 36% of women said the responsibility had negatively affected their financial situation, compared with 22% of men.

These findings do not establish that caregiving alone explains differences in earnings. However, they show how family responsibilities can contribute to financial pressures alongside other workplace and economic factors.

For women who provide substantial care, maintaining continuous employment may require additional coordination between family support and professional expectations.

Paid Family Leave and Caregiving Support Remain Important Workplace Considerations

Access to paid family leave is one of the workplace considerations examined in the Pew Research Center analysis.

The findings show that 84% of working parents considered paid parental, family or medical leave helpful. However, only 50% said these benefits were available through their current jobs.

Support for additional caregiving assistance was also evident among people caring for aging relatives. Among adults who identified themselves as caregivers for an aging parent, spouse or partner, 73% supported paying for short-term care to give family caregivers a break. Another 67% supported requiring employers to provide paid family leave.

Workplace flexibility is another consideration for employees managing childcare and family obligations. Predictable schedules and the ability to adjust working hours can help employees coordinate professional and personal responsibilities.

However, flexibility does not eliminate the need for reliable childcare or assistance for aging relatives. Research on workplace flexibility for mothers also highlights the relationship between flexible schedules, childcare access and predictable working arrangements.

For employers, the findings point to the importance of accessible leave policies, consistent scheduling and fair consideration of employees with caregiving responsibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do Caregiving Responsibilities Affect Women’s Career Advancement?

Caregiving can limit the time women have available for professional responsibilities, additional assignments and career development. Reduced working hours or employment interruptions can also affect earnings and opportunities for advancement.

What Percentage of Working Mothers Say Parenthood Makes Career Advancement Harder?

According to the Pew Research Center’s 2026 analysis, 52% of full-time working mothers said being a parent made career advancement harder. The comparable figure among full-time working fathers was 38%.

How Many Family Caregivers in the United States Are Women?

Women accounted for 61% of the 63 million American family caregivers identified in the 2025 Caregiving in the U.S. report. The figure includes people providing ongoing care to adults or children with medical conditions or disabilities.

How Does Family Caregiving Affect Women’s Earnings?

Women who reduce their working hours or leave employment to provide care may experience lower earnings and fewer opportunities for professional advancement. These circumstances can contribute to differences in long-term earnings between women and men.

What Workplace Support Can Help Working Mothers Balance Careers and Caregiving?

Paid family leave, predictable working schedules and access to short-term caregiving assistance are among the support measures identified in the research. Flexible arrangements can also help employees coordinate professional and family responsibilities.