Pew Study Reveals Persistent Gender Gaps Among Full-Time Working Parents

A new Pew Research Center study highlights the ongoing challenges faced by full-time working parents in the United States, revealing significant differences in how mothers and fathers experience the balance between work and family life. The survey, which polled 2,242 working parents from March 2 to 15, found that a majority of both moms and dads frequently juggle parenting and work responsibilities simultaneously. However, mothers consistently report a greater burden, from household chores to the emotional toll of missing children's activities.

According to the study, 70% of full-time working parents say they sometimes handle parenting tasks while at work or take on work duties while caring for their children. This blending of roles is more pronounced among mothers, with 81% saying they parent at work at least sometimes, compared to 62% of fathers. Similarly, 63% of moms and 57% of dads report working while with their kids. "One of the major findings we have from this study is just a large share of parents who experience these blurred boundaries between family and work," said Luona Lin, a research associate and co-author of the study. "And we find that moms often carry more of the mental load."

The study also examined the broader landscape of dual-income households. As of 2025, 52% of married or cohabiting couples with children under 18 have both parents working full time, up from 46% a decade ago and 31% in 1975. This increase has been driven primarily by mothers with college degrees. Among mothers with bachelor's degrees, 56% worked full time in 2025, up from 50% in 2000, while those with postgraduate degrees saw an increase from 59% to 69%. In contrast, the share of mothers without college degrees working full time remained largely flat at 43%.

Feelings of guilt and frustration are widespread. A striking 92% of full-time working parents said they were upset when work caused them to miss their children's activities, with 55% describing themselves as "extremely" or "very" upset. Once again, mothers bore the brunt of these emotions: 65% of moms said they were extremely or very upset, compared to 45% of dads. "It's not to say dads aren't experiencing any of the challenges in balancing work and family lives," Lin noted. "It's just that moms are experiencing more of it."

Disparities also emerge in perceptions of household responsibilities. While 63% of full-time working mothers said they do most of the chores, only 25% of fathers agreed; instead, half of the dads said chores are equally divided. Additionally, 58% of all working parents reported not having enough time to exercise, a challenge more acute for mothers (65%) than fathers (52%). The study underscores that as families adapt to changing work patterns, the emotional and practical loads continue to fall disproportionately on women.