Which new mothers are most likely to abandon their old jobs?
Jane Leber Herr tells us:
Looking at these women 15 years after graduation, when they are approximately 37 years old, we find the same pattern seen elsewhere; among mothers with a graduate degree, MDs are the most likely to be working (94%), and MBAs are the least likely (72%)…Among PhDs, 86% are working, among lawyers (JDs), 79%, among women with non-MBA masters, 74%, and among those with no graduate degree, 69%.
These basic differences across professions seem to hold up once other measurable factors are controlled for. Most of the short essay focuses on causality; the family-friendliness of the job environment may be one important factor.