Breadwinning Latina Moms Are Increasingly the U.S. Norm

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More mothers are joining the workforce than ever before, especially Latinas.

In 2015, 42% of all U.S. moms were the “breadwinner” (earning at least half of their family’s income) for their households, and 22% were co-breadwinners, according to a report by the Center for American Progress.

The report found that, regardless of the family composition, the vast majority of adults with “custodial children” are part of the labor force.

“With the majority of women working for pay, and their earnings being so vital to the economic well-being of their families, the days of full-time, stay-at-home mothers are long past,” according to the report. “Women are crucial economic actors for their families, local communities, and the overall U.S. economy.”

The rates of breadwinning mothers differed greatly by race/ethnicity.

A greater share of Latina mothers were more likely than whites to be breadwinners in 2015—40.5% versus 37.4%, according to the report.

However, Latinas also were less likely to be co-breadwinners when compared with white mothers—18.6% to 24.7%.

These breadwinning shares differ between different racial/ethnic groups in part because Latinas and black women are more likely to be single mothers.

More white breadwinning mothers are married (55.8) than Latina (40.4%) and black mothers (25.3%), meaning most black and Latina breadwinning mothers are single parents providing for their families, according to the report.

These figures are important in not only understanding the current state of American society, but also because it can help shed light on numerous barriers in the workplace for women of all races and ethnicities.

Mothers still provide the majority of child care and elder care in the country, even when they are employed full time. However, there is no national-level policy in place to ensure that working caregivers have access to paid family and medical leave and paid sick days. Gender wage gaps also continue to exist.

Solutions are emerging, as several states have passed sick day laws and paid family leave programs. Federal programs have been proposed.

“At a time when women’s wages are so vital to keeping their families afloat, America cannot afford to sit idly by and do nothing,” according to the report. “It is time to update the nation’s labor standards and put in place family- and worker-friendly policies to ensure that all working families have the supports they need.”