Associations between women’s retention in STEM or STEM-related fields and their spouses’ occupations and majors

Abstract

There is a growing awareness of the impact of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or STEM-related fields and the influence of marriage on women’s retention in those fields. This study examines the relationship between the continued employment of married women with STEM or STEM-related majors in relevant occupations and their spouses having the same field of occupation/major, as well as the difference in this association when considering the presence of children. This study analyzed a sample comprising 147,467 married college-educated women aged 25–55 years. The analysis was restricted to women with a STEM or STEM-related major and a spouse who was college-educated and employed. All the data were drawn from the 2015–2019 waves of data released by the American Community Survey (ACS). The results reveal that spousal occupational similarity is positively associated with married women’s retention in STEM and STEM-related (healthcare) occupations. Moreover, the presence of children is a moderator variable in the relationship between women’s employment in STEM or STEM-related occupations and their spouses’ having STEM or STEM-related occupations. This study aims to provide information for research on spousal homogamy, women’s career development, and women with STEM or STEM-related majors and their families.