Women Now Outnumber Men in U.S. Workforce for 8 Straight Months

NewsData.io · United States · Oct 7, 2026

Women have outnumbered men in the U.S. workforce for eight consecutive months, the longest such streak since 2010, driven largely by growth in healthcare and other female-dominated industries. Unlike the Great Recession gap, which reflected male job losses, economists say this shift is being driven by women actively gaining jobs faster than men. Despite the milestone, women still represent two-thirds of low-wage workers and earn significantly less than men, particularly in higher-paying fields like finance, construction, and STEM. Staffing firms serving healthcare, education, and other pink-collar sectors may see continued strong candidate flow, while those serving manufacturing or male-skewed industries face tighter supply.