A newly released study by the Pew Research Center has found that two-thirds (66%) of women ages 18-34 now agree that “being successful in a high-paying career is ‘one of the most important things’ or ‘very important’ in their lives.” In comparison, 59% of young men surveyed came to that conclusion. This is a marked change from 15 years ago, when 56% of women and 58% of men agreed on the importance of career success in their lives. A Gender Reversal on Career Aspirations, by Eileen Patten and Kim Parker.
Among people aged 35-64, about the same percentage of men (43%) and women (42%) agree on the importance of a successful career. In 1997, only 26% of women agreed with the idea that their career success was “very important” or “one of the most important things” in their lives.
The study also contains data about female participation in the workplace, the earnings gap between male and female workers, and educational attainment differentiated by gender. The authors also note that among both men and women, “being a good parent and having a successful marriage remain much more important than career success.” Last December, the authors earlier collaborated on a study of U.S. women in the military.