Women Outnumber Men in Workforce for Record Stretch as Men Lose Ground

The recent September jobs report revealed a significant gender divergence in the U.S. labor market, with women holding more employment positions than men for the eighth straight month. According to an Indeed analysis of government data, this represents the longest sustained period of female workforce dominance since 2010.

Cory Stahle, senior economist at Indeed, noted that while a similar gap emerged during the previous cycle, the underlying causes differ. “Back then, the gap emerged because men were losing jobs,” Stahle explained. “This time, it’s because women are gaining them.”

Friday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report indicated that U.S. payrolls increased by only 29,000 net jobs in September, falling short of the 84,000 expected by economists. Despite men accounting for slightly more than half of the monthly net job growth, the seasonally adjusted figure for employed men remains approximately 1.2 million lower than a year prior. In contrast, female employment rose by more than 650,000 over the same timeframe.

A month earlier, men had represented just 2% of payroll growth. The current schism is largely attributed to industry-specific trends, with healthcare serving as a primary engine for female hiring. Health care accounted for over half of overall payroll expansion in September, and women comprise nearly four out of every five workers in that sector.

However, Stahle pointed out that healthcare hiring slowed in September compared to the annual average, potentially limiting the sector’s boost to women. Additionally, monthly payroll contractions in female-dominated industries, such as government work, further diluted overall gains for female employees during the month.