More U.S. women are now families' prime earner

A record number of American women are now the sole or primary breadwinners in their families, a sign of the rising influence of working mothers, a new study finds. Mothers now keep finances afloat in 40 percent of households with children, up from just 11 percent in 1960.

While most of these families are headed by single mothers, a growing number are married mothers who bring in more income than their husbands, according to a study released today by the Pew Research Center.

As the numbers have shifted, however, public attitudes have remained mixed regarding the impact of working mothers on families. People are not at all sure that it's a good thing.

Demographers say the change is all but irreversible and is likely to bring added attention to child-care policies and government safety nets for vulnerable families.

The trend is being driven mostly by long-term demographic changes, including higher rates of education and labor force participation dating to the 1960s women's movement. Today, women are more likely than men to hold bachelor's degrees, and they make up nearly half -- 47 percent -- of the American workforce.

While roughly 79 percent of Americans reject the notion that women should return to their traditional roles, only 21 percent of those polled said the trend of more mothers of young children working outside the home is a good thing for society, according to the Pew survey.

The Pew study is based on an analysis of census data as of 2011, the latest available, as well as interviews with 1,003 adults held by cellphone or landline April 25-28. The Pew poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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