Figure 8. Labor force participation rates of mothers, by age of youngest child, 1975–2015
Year Under 18 years 6–17 years 3-5 years Under 3 years

1975

47.4 54.9 45.0 34.3

1976

48.8 56.2 47.6 34.1

1977

50.8 58.3 49.2 35.4

1978

53.0 60.0 50.7 39.4

1979

54.5 61.6 52.5 41.1

1980

56.6 64.3 54.5 41.9

1981

58.1 65.5 56.1 44.3

1982

58.5 65.8 56.5 45.6

1983

58.9 66.3 57.7 46.0

1984

60.5 68.1 58.8 47.6

1985

62.1 69.9 59.5 49.5

1986

62.8 70.4 59.9 50.8

1987

64.7 72.0 62.4 52.9

1988

65.1 73.3 61.5 52.4

1989

65.7 74.2 63.1 52.4

1990

66.7 74.7 65.3 53.6

1991

66.6 74.4 64.4 54.5

1992

67.2 75.9 63.3 54.5

1993

66.9 75.4 63.7 53.9

1994

68.4 76.0 64.9 57.1

1995

69.7 76.4 67.1 58.7

1996

70.2 77.2 66.9 59.0

1997

72.1 78.1 69.3 61.8

1998

72.3 78.4 69.3 62.2

1999

72.1 78.5 69.5 60.7

2000

72.9 79.0 71.5 61.0

2001

72.7 79.4 69.6 60.7

2002

72.2 78.6 69.1 60.5

2003

71.7 78.7 68.7 58.7

2004

70.7 77.5 69.0 57.3

2005

70.5 76.9 67.9 58.9

2006

70.6 76.9 67.5 59.9

2007

71.3 77.7 68.4 60.1

2008

71.2 77.5 69.3 59.6

2009

71.6 78.2 67.1 61.1

2010

71.3 77.2 68.5 61.1

2011

70.9 76.5 68.4 60.9

2012

70.9 76.0 69.8 60.7

2013

70.3 74.8 68.0 62.1

2014

70.8 75.8 67.3 61.8

2015

69.9 74.6 67.3 61.4
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey.