For the third time in U.S. history, women now hold more jobs than men, reflecting significant shifts in the country’s labor market. As of June 2026, women were employed in approximately 79.64 million jobs, surpassing men’s employment total of 79.34 million by about 304,000 positions, according to data from the Indeed Hiring Lab.

This gap has widened notably in recent months. In February 2026, women held 96,000 more jobs than men, indicating an increase of roughly 208,000 jobs favoring women over the subsequent four months. Over the past year, women accounted for about 95% of all new jobs added in the U.S. labor market. From February 2024 to February 2026, women filled approximately 814,000 of the 1.2 million total new positions created.

Labor force participation rates illustrate contrasting trends between genders. As of June 2026, 66.8% of men were either employed or actively seeking work, down from 75.1% in 2000. Meanwhile, women’s participation stood at 56.6%, having decreased modestly from 60.1% over the same period. The overall declining male participation alongside more steady female involvement has contributed to this historic employment crossover.

Laura Ullrich, the director of economic research at Indeed, explained that this shift reflects a long-term trend. “As more women have worked, less men have worked,” she said, noting the steady narrowing of gender gaps in labor force participation over time.

The current situation marks a departure from the norm of past decades. Approximately 60 years ago, men outnumbered women in the workforce by 24 million jobs. Though the gap has been steadily shrinking for decades, men continued to hold millions more jobs than women well into the 21st century. Women had only surpassed men in total jobs twice before: once following the 2008 financial crisis, when male-dominated sectors were heavily affected, and briefly before the 2020 pandemic, with employment patterns subsequently reversing during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Researchers attribute the recent and potentially enduring shift to structural changes in the economy and labor market sectors rather than changes in social or caregiving roles. Ullrich pointed to growth in industries such as healthcare, education, and hospitality — fields that tend to employ more women — in contrast with declines in traditionally male-dominated sectors like manufacturing, technology, and certain areas of business.

“The research does not show that men are caregiving at higher levels,” Ullrich noted, suggesting that evolving gender norms have not played a significant role in this employment disparity. She also suggested that the current levels may represent a return to the trajectory the labor market might have followed absent the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As these employment patterns continue to evolve, economists and policymakers will likely monitor the long-term implications for workforce dynamics and gender participation in various economic sectors.