The Impact of COVID-19 on Working Women in the United States

A year ago the unemployment rate for men and women over the age of 20 was a very low 3.3 percent. When the pandemic struck and the U.S. economy shut down, the unemployment rate for women over the age of 20 shot up to 15.5 percent in April of this year. For men, the rate rose to 13 percent.

Since that time, the unemployment rate for women has remained above the rate for men. But the latest data for August shows that the gender gap has almost evaporated. In August, the unemployment rate for adult women was 8.4 percent compared to a rate of 8 percent for adult men. In August more than 6 million women were unemployed and seeking work, compared to just 2.4 million women a year ago.

The unemployment rate for college graduates of both genders in August 2019 was a very low 2.1 percent. That rose to 8.4 percent in April and is now down to 5.3 percent.