st_23.02.28_breadwinner-wife_featured-image-1 | Pew Research Center

August 24, 2026

In a Growing Share of U.S. Marriages, Husbands and Wives Earn About the Same

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In a Growing Share of U.S. Marriages, Husbands and Wives Earn About the Same
Wives are gaining economic influence while carrying a heavier burden at home
Husbands and wives have roughly equal earnings in a growing share of U.S. marriages
Black wives, college graduates more likely than other wives to be in egalitarian and breadwinner wife marriages
In egalitarian marriages, wives and husbands tend to earn about $60K each
Dual-provider marriages tend to have higher household incomes than sole-provider marriages
In egalitarian marriages, husbands spend more time on paid work and leisure than wives do
Large gap in hours spent on paid work when husbands are the primary earners
About half of Americans say they think most men would prefer to earn more money than their wife
More than half of U.S. adults say society values men’s contributions at work more than what they do at home
Majority of Americans say children are better off when their mother and father both focus equally on their job and taking care of the children and home
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Wives who are the primary earner in their marriage spend more time on caregiving and housework, less time on leisure than their husbands do