The Motherhood Penalty vs the Fatherhood Bonus

Research has already shown that women earn less than men when they become parents. A new study asks what happens to the motherhood penalty and fatherhood bonus over time? This 2022 report published for the National Bureau of Economic Research explores the impact of motherhood on earnings after the first decade of parenthood. 

In order to look at long-term impacts, the study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth starting in 1979. The researchers examined three different groups: (1) the difference between women and men, (2) the difference between mothers and non-mothers, and (3) the difference between fathers and non-fathers. As the infographic above shows, the findings are stark.

Among college-educated workers, women earned about 11% less than women without children and a whopping 42% less than men with children! Not only do mothers continue to earn less, but men earn a bonus when they have children. Strikingly, "mothers’ inability to earn the same as fathers is due to the fact that having children gives men an advantage—a fatherhood premium—that women can never catch up with." Yikes.   

Why? Research suggests that the majority of the motherhood penalty and the fatherhood premium is rooted in discrimination. Stanford sociology professor Shelley Correll believes “a lot of these effects really are very much due to a cultural bias against mothers.” Our society still struggles with dated norms of parenthood and how it is perceived by employers.

As discouraging as this data is, learning and educating ourselves about these issues can help us make more informed policy changes. Affordable childcare, paid leave, and equal pay practices can help mitigate these wide gaps. Ready to take action? There are many organizations that seek to address these concerns. Check out my Resources page to learn and do more!