Catherwood LibraryILR School

Workforce participation has improved for middle aged Americans over the past two years, driven almost entirely by women alone. The number of prime-age (aged 25 to 54) women working has dropped since the 90s, largely due to America’s lack of family-friendly policies follower in other developed nations. However, prime-age women are now seeing increased opportunities in the workforce. In 2010, working women in America were as likely to be managers as men, more likely to be professionals, and are now a majority among college graduates. Women working in unskilled labor are the ones driving the recent increase in prime-age participation, although it is unclear why this is so. While it is understood that unskilled workers are now rejoining the labor force due to rising wages and improved economic conditions after the recession, experts are still mixed on why women alone are driving the labor turnaround.