2026 update: this page uses the latest data available: BLS Employment Characteristics of Families for 2025 (released April 23, 2026) and Pew Research Center’s survey of 2,242 working parents (conducted March 2–15, 2026, published June 16, 2026).
93.7% of U.S. fathers with children under 18 were in the labor force in 2025, compared with 73.9% of mothers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among dads who work full time, 47% say it’s difficult to balance work and family, compared with 62% of moms who work full time (Pew Research Center, 2026).The labor force numbers come from the BLS release Employment Characteristics of Families — 2025, based on the Current Population Survey. “In the labor force” means working or looking for work. The attitude numbers come from Pew Research Center’s 2026 report For Working Parents, the Boundary Between Work and Family Is Often Blurred, which focuses on parents who work full time.
One caveat on the BLS figures: the October 2025 Current Population Survey wasn’t collected because of the federal shutdown, so BLS built 2025 annual averages from 11 months and says they aren’t strictly comparable with other years (BLS shutdown notice).
Data breakdown: fathers in the workforce, 2025
| Measure (parents with children under 18) | Fathers | Mothers |
|---|---|---|
| Labor force participation rate | 93.7% | 73.9% |
| Married parents | 94.4% | 72.1% |
| Other marital statuses (never married, divorced, widowed, separated) | 89.8% | 78.1% |
| Youngest child under 6 | 95.3% | 68.0% |
| Youngest child 6 to 17 | 92.5% | 78.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 3.7% |
| Share of employed parents working full time | 95% | 79% |
Source: BLS, Employment Characteristics of Families — 2025 (USDL-26-0652), Table 5 and release text. 2025 figures are 11-month averages excluding October.
Fathers of young children are the most likely dads to be in the workforce: 95.3% of fathers whose youngest child was under 6 were in the labor force in 2025, compared with 68.0% of mothers of young children. That gap of about 27 percentage points is the widest of any group in the table. Among single-parent families, 86.6% of fathers in families maintained by fathers were employed, compared with 75.6% of mothers in families maintained by mothers (BLS).
How hard is it for working dads to balance work and family?
About half of dads who work full time find it hard. In Pew’s 2026 survey, 47% of full-time working fathers said it’s difficult to balance work and family responsibilities, compared with 62% of full-time working mothers. The blur goes both ways for dads, too:
- 62% of full-time working dads say they take care of parenting tasks while at work at least sometimes, and 57% say they handle work tasks while they’re with their kids at least sometimes.
- 17% of full-time working dads say they handle parenting tasks at work extremely or very often, about half the share of moms (38%).
- 45% of full-time working dads say they feel extremely or very upset when work makes them miss their kids’ activities, compared with 65% of moms. Pew says most dads feel at least somewhat upset.
- 52% of full-time working dads say they don’t have enough time for exercise, and 53% say they don’t have enough time to relax (vs. 65% and 67% of moms).
Source: Pew Research Center, June 16, 2026. Survey of 2,242 U.S. working parents conducted March 2–15, 2026; the figures above are for parents who work full time.
Who does more at home when both parents work full time?
Mostly mom, according to the parents themselves. Among married or cohabiting couples where both the mom and dad work full time, 52% say the mom does more of the parenting tasks, 39% say the parents share them equally and 10% say the dad does more. Pew found that dads are more likely than moms to say these tasks are shared equally (Pew Research Center, 2026).
How family work arrangements have changed
The one-paycheck family with a working dad is no longer the norm. In 2025, 52% of different-sex couples with children under 18 had two full-time working parents, up from 31% in 1975. The share where the dad works full time and the mom isn’t employed fell from 42% to 23% over the same period. And counting all parents, not just employed ones, 89% of dads with children under 18 worked full time in 2025, compared with 59% of moms (Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data).
| Couples with children under 18 | 1975 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Both parents work full time | 31% | 52% |
| Dad works full time, mom not employed | 42% | 23% |
Source: Pew Research Center, analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey data. Different-sex married or cohabiting couples.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of fathers are in the labor force?
93.7% of U.S. fathers with children under 18 were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2025, compared with 73.9% of mothers, according to the BLS. Their unemployment rate was 2.5%, so roughly 91% were employed, and 95% of employed fathers worked full time.
What percentage of dads work full time?
89% of U.S. dads with children under 18 worked full time in 2025 (out of all dads, not just employed ones), compared with 59% of moms, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data.
Do working dads struggle with work-life balance?
About half do. In a 2026 Pew Research Center survey, 47% of fathers who work full time said it is difficult to balance work and family responsibilities, compared with 62% of mothers who work full time.
Are dads of young children more likely to work?
Yes. In 2025, 95.3% of fathers whose youngest child was under 6 were in the labor force, compared with 92.5% of fathers whose youngest child was 6 to 17 (BLS). For mothers it is the reverse: 68.0% vs. 78.2%.
How many families have two full-time working parents?
52% of different-sex couples with children under 18 had two full-time working parents in 2025, up from 31% in 1975, according to Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data.
Related: How much time dads spend with their kids · Paternity leave statistics · How many fathers are stay-at-home dads?
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Characteristics of Families — 2025 (USDL-26-0652, April 23, 2026) — Labor force participation, unemployment and full-time work of parents, Current Population Survey
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Impact of the 2025 federal government shutdown on the Current Population Survey
- Pew Research Center — For Working Parents, the Boundary Between Work and Family Is Often Blurred (June 16, 2026) — Survey of 2,242 working parents, March 2–15, 2026
- Pew Research Center — How family work arrangements have changed over time (June 16, 2026) — Census Bureau CPS analysis, 1975–2025
