Economic challenges: Women more often juggle multiple jobs than men
Women’s Multi‑Job Trends Reveal Growing Pay Gap
The latest U.S. labor statistics indicate that women are almost seven percent more likely than men to hold multiple jobs simultaneously. In 2024, 4,404,000 women reported working more than one job at the same time, compared with 4,027,000 men.
Age and Industry Drivers
- Office administration and support remains the top industry for women, with 13.1% of women in this sector reporting secondary employment. Men in the same industry are far less likely to hold multiple jobs (≈4.5%).
- Education and health care also see high rates of women juggling more than one job.
- Men are most often found in management, sales, and transportation sectors where multi‑jobholding is common.
Generational Gaps
- Gen Z shows a pronounced gender divide: 475,000 women aged 20–24 hold multiple jobs versus 292,000 men.
- Even the youngest group, ages 16–19, has 143,000 women working more than one job compared to 81,000 men.
Multiple Jobholders by Age (2024)
- 16‑19 women: 143,000 | men: 81,000
- 20‑24 women: 475,000 | men: 292,000
- 25‑54 women: 2,897,000 | men: 2,769,000
- 55‑64 women: 670,000 | men: 624,000
- 65+ women: 218,000 | men: 260,000
Health and Well‑Being Implications
Holding multiple low‑paid jobs can exacerbate stress, lead to burnout, and disrupt sleep patterns, especially for women who often juggle caregiving responsibilities. The critical gap in pay and opportunity nudges many women toward secondary employment, which may further deteriorate work‑life balance.
Socioeconomic Impact
With a 5% rise in female multi‑jobholders and a 3% rise for men since 2023, the total number of people working more than one job reached 8,431,000 in 2024. This trend underscores the ongoing cost‑of‑living crisis and points to deeper structural inequities in the labor market.
