Beliefs, Fertility, and Earnings of African American, Hispanic, and Non-Hispanic White Mothers

Abstract

This study explores gender ideology, fertility factors (e.g., age at first birth, number of children), and their effects on earnings of African American ( n = 413), Hispanic American ( n = 271), and White ( n = 817) mothers. An analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth over a 10-year period (1988 to 1998) shows that, on average, Hispanic American and White mothers have a significantly more conservative gender ideology than African American mothers. Nevertheless, a conservative gender ideology significantly reduces African American, Hispanic American, and White mothers' earnings when controlling for a variety of important labor force factors. Regarding fertility, the number of children is detrimental to the earnings of White mothers but has no effect on African American or Hispanic mothers in the sample. Although early childbearing significantly depresses the earnings of African American and Hispanic mothers, it does not do so for their White counterparts.