National Women’s History Month traces its roots to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over poor working conditions. The first Women's Day celebration in the United States was in 1909, also in New York City. More than seven decades later, Congress in 1981 established National Women's History Week to be commemorated annually the second week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month, and every year since has passed a resolution (and the president has issued a proclamation) designating March Women’s History Month.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month 2021, we reflect upon advances women have made over the last decade. Women have increased their earnings and education, fields of occupation and continued to live longer than men. Below are stats from Census Bureau surveys highlighting how women’s employment has changed over the years. We appreciate the public’s cooperation in helping us measure America’s people, places and economy.  

79.2 million

The number of females ages 16 and older who participated in the civilian labor force in 2019. This comprises 58.6% of females ages 16 and older. In 2010, 74.1 million or 59.1% of females ages 16 and older participated in the civilian labor force. 

81.6%

The percentage of female full-time, year-round workers over 16 years’ median earnings compared to men in 2019. In 2010, women earned 78.6% of what men made. 

• Median Earnings in Past 12 Months by Sex and Detailed Occupation
• Fertility of Women in the United States: 2018

• Percentage of Women in Select Occupations
• Percentage of Women in STEM Occupations
• Number of women veterans

• Median annual earnings of women (p. 9, Figure 4)
• Female-to-male earnings ratio (p. 10, Figure 5)

• Women enrolled in undergraduate and graduate schools
• Percentage of women who earned a degree

• FFF: Women’s History Month: March 2020
• FFF: Women’s History Month: March 2019

• Stats for Stories: Women’s Equality Day
• Stats for Stories: Equal Pay Day
• Stats for Stories: Mother’s Day
• Stats for Stories: International Women’s Day

• Women Making Gains in STEM Occupations but Still Underrepresented 
• Parents Juggle Work and Child Care During Pandemic
• Are Women Really Opting Out of Work After They Have Babies?
• Cost of Motherhood on Women’s Employment and Earnings
• The Choices Working Mothers Make
• Spouses Report Earnings Differently When Wives Earn More
• Women More Likely to Have Multiple Jobs
• College Degree Widens Gender Earnings Gap
• Post-9/11 Veterans More Likely Than Nonveterans to be Employed

• Women’s Earnings by Occupation From the 2017 American Community Survey

• Historical Reported Voting Rates of Women

• The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
• Ratification of the 19th Amendment