WALTHAM, Mass., May 3, 2007

How Much Is Mom Worth?

$138K A Year For Stay-At-Homes, $85K Additional For Working Mothers, Says Salary.com

  • According to a Salary.com survey, stay-at-home moms work a 92-hour workweek while working mothers logged 49 hours, or nine hours more than their formal workweek.

    According to a Salary.com survey, stay-at-home moms work a 92-hour workweek while working mothers logged 49 hours, or nine hours more than their formal workweek.  (AP)

(CBS/AP)  Most of us would agree that a mother's job is priceless.

But the folks at Salary.com take time every year to figure out how much the actual work is worth.

This year, they say the work of a stay-at-home mom would command an annual salary of more than $138,000. That's up about 3 percent from last year, but not as much of an increase as employers predict for their workers: 3.9 percent.

For working mothers, the amount is put at more than $85,000 this year. That is on top of any money earned in the workplace.

Much of the theoretical salary, by the way, is figured on overtime.

"Mom works multiple jobs and rarely gets a break from the action, working an average of 52 hours of overtime," said Bill Coleman, senior vice president and chief compensation officer at Salary.com, in a press release.

According to the Salary.com survey, stay-at-home moms work a 92-hour workweek while working mothers logged 49 hours, or nine hours more than their formal workweek.

By the way, Mother's Day is May 13 this year.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 32 Comments
by afmca May 4, 2007 6:14 PM EDT
This type of study just perpetuates the "I am a victim mentality." Most working Moms became Moms voluntarily. If they didn't realize that taking care of the child would actually take additional time, she was clueless. This scenario is the same for a married woman - her day is longer taking care of her husband. Hopefully she does this for love; not compensation. As a Working, Married Dad I know my after work hours are as filled with child rearing and home chores as my wife. After 25 years ahe has yet to threaten to go out on strike. I doubt the modern married working dad is the neanderthal of old. If the same study was done for working Dads, I would think the salary difference would be slight at the end. btw Father's Day is June 17th.
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by colonieny May 4, 2007 4:03 PM EDT
asor1 and Ezlilly, I guess when the facts of life are too tough to challenge, you would attack me personally. Asor, you are talking about y our mother, another generation - the best generation. Not so today. And EZ, do you support women after divorce, going out and supporting themselves fully ? I doubt it. How far of a feminist are you.

Most married men have to put up with so much BS after marriage, including near celibacy and verbal abuse, that they feel imprisoned because of the divorce laws so favoring the female, and the women know it. That is not how it was for the WWII generation moms and dads.
These are the cold facts. By the tone of your note, I would bet you are never married, divorced , collecting free cash and cruising, and a total B to your man. Come on , you know I am right. I bet your are capable or working but spend the day on the computer, lazy lucky you.
I am not saying all women are this way in America, but a very high % of Baby Boomers have been taught to expect it all. That is why is has been called the ME generation. And now they are carping to be paid to watch Oprah and Jerry ? Come on.
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by ezillyamused May 4, 2007 3:45 PM EDT
asor1:
Sounds to me like ColonieNY is nothing but a bitter, lonely old man who's wife got sick of his BS, left and got what she deserved. 1/2 of everything, except he got to keep ALL of his dirty laundry!
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by asor1-2009 May 4, 2007 3:21 PM EDT
ColonieNY, did I read your post correctly? If so, you are on drugs or are just plain hatefully stupid. My Mom worked from early in the AM to late PM, she washed, hung clothes outside, ironed, sewed, cooked, preserved food, cleaned house, walked to the market, took excellent care of us 4 brats and a thousand other kind things. No pay of any kind was expected. I loved her with all my heart and would gladly give her my entire salary today if she were here.
The USPS should have a stamp in honor of 'just plain Moms'.
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by oleander8 May 4, 2007 2:26 PM EDT
Men remarry at a much higher rate than women do. For men, there are advantages to having a wife.

For women, it's more laundry and she has to cook.
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by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 7:08 AM EDT
darkmeat4, you make me laugh. You're a real piece of work.

I NEVER said, nor implied, that I think women should rely on welfare and keep popping out kids, not pooping like you said, in order to get paid.
Moron.

You must not be able to read or comprehend very well. Or you're pulling stuff out of your a$$.

As far as your cat is concerned... Sorry to hear she's a slu$ and didn't use protection and had s$x outside of marriage and you now have a ton of unwanted brats. (Isn't that kinda what you said to ericsma?) Couldn't have been me. I'm too old to get it up anymore. So don't come looking for me for 'child' support!!! Who's the sicko? Sorry bud, but I've never been into fu$king animals. Takes a sick mind to suggest that.

BTW, shouldn't YOU be responsible for keeping your cat in when she's in heat, or get her spayed? Especially since you are complaining so much about the 9 kittens.
Reply to this comment
by colonieny May 4, 2007 6:50 AM EDT
MEN WATCH YOUR WALLET SHE"S BEEN THINKING while you be working...


Woman are paid by society in many ways, not all through money. There is leisure time between chores, time that women get to use as they want. They can sit when they want, lie down, take a nap, read a book, go for a jog, all between times of actually being productive in the home. This is a great advantage for women, and while men are stressed ALL day, women can pace themselves, and even go to the spa. Men can't do that, no way.
Women also have many chores that we delagate to men, once the brute comes home. Sure we could take out the trash, but hey !
Women thiink they deserve more, and so does the law, in fact the trend today is for women to divorce the husband just before an early retirement, so that the man has to work by law until he virtually drops dead to support her, ha ha ha. She of course has "no skills" other than being a good long range planner. Gets 1/2 ov everything, including pension, and does not, Does not have to take care of any of his dirty laundry ever again. Men get sick before women in older age, she knows that too. Time to head to Europe, with gal pals to revisit the 60s.
Well, I hope I have shared just why women in America are so beloved, underappreciated and certainly underpaid.
from Colonie NY...
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by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 4:08 AM EDT
opps... sorry for the numerous times this was posted. The dang computer kept telling me I had to wait to post.
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by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 4:04 AM EDT
darkmeat4, ericsma said, %u201Cbut I just so happened to have been married to a lazy bum..." You accused her of %u2018putting out%u2019 before she got married. Maybe you need to learn how to read.

I don%u2019t think there really can be a true estimate of what a mother is worth. I know mine was irreplaceable. So what if some number crunchers came up with a figure of what they think a stay at home mom would receive if she got paid. What%u2019s the big deal?

Maybe it just chaps your a$$ that the guesstimate is more than you make?

Women are special because of who they are AND because they can bring into this world a new life%u2026 but not without the help of sperm. Some men are real fathers, some are just sperm donors. AND women do NOT just %u2018c r a p out a kid%u2019 as you put it. If you are a married man, and have kids, I sure hope that isn%u2019t how you look at the birth of your own children. You said, %u2018children are the reward%u2019, but it doesn%u2019t sound like that%u2019s how you look at them.

I feel sorry for your cat. Maybe you should take her and the kittens to the pound. They%u2019d probably be better off.

I%u2019m an old man. Too old to stand by and read what you, some smart a$$, wet behind the ears, little punk, spews about women and not say anything. Thank God for your mother, or be sorry your daddy didn%u2019t just shoot you out on the floor.
Reply to this comment
by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 4:02 AM EDT
darkmeat4, ericsma said, %u201Cbut I just so happened to have been married to a lazy bum..." You accused her of %u2018putting out%u2019 before she got married. Maybe you need to learn how to read.

I don%u2019t think there really can be a true estimate of what a mother is worth. I know mine was irreplaceable. So what if some number crunchers came up with a figure of what they think a stay at home mom would receive if she got paid. What%u2019s the big deal?

Maybe it just chaps your a$$ that the guesstimate is more than you make?

Women are special because of who they are AND because they can bring into this world a new life%u2026 but not without the help of sperm. Some men are real fathers, some are just sperm donors. AND women do NOT just %u2018c r a p out a kid%u2019 as you put it. If you are a married man, and have kids, I sure hope that isn%u2019t how you look at the birth of your own children. You said, %u2018children are the reward%u2019, but it doesn%u2019t sound like that%u2019s how you look at them.

I feel sorry for your cat. Maybe you should take her and the kittens to the pound. They%u2019d probably be better off.

I%u2019m an old man. Too old to stand by and read what you, some smart a$$, wet behind the ears, little punk, spews about women and not say anything. Thank God for your mother, or be sorry your daddy didn%u2019t just shoot you out on the floor.
Reply to this comment
by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 4:00 AM EDT
darkmeat4, ericsma said, %u201Cbut I just so happened to have been married to a lazy bum..." You accused her of %u2018putting out%u2019 before she got married. Maybe you need to learn how to read.

I don%u2019t think there really can be a true estimate of what a mother is worth. I know mine was irreplaceable. So what if some number crunchers came up with a figure of what they think a stay at home mom would receive if she got paid. What%u2019s the big deal?

Maybe it just chaps your a$$ that the guesstimate is more than you make?

Women are special because of who they are AND because they can bring into this world a new life%u2026 but not without the help of sperm. Some men are real fathers, some are just sperm donors. AND women do NOT just %u2018c r a p out a kid%u2019 as you put it. If you are a married man, and have kids, I sure hope that isn%u2019t how you look at the birth of your own children. You said, %u2018children are the reward%u2019, but it doesn%u2019t sound like that%u2019s how you look at them.

I feel sorry for your cat. Maybe you should take her and the kittens to the pound. They%u2019d probably be better off.

I%u2019m an old man. Too old to stand by and read what you, some smart a$$, wet behind the ears, little punk, spews about women and not say anything. Thank God for your mother, or be sorry your daddy didn%u2019t just shoot you out on the floor.
Reply to this comment
by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 3:59 AM EDT
darkmeat4, ericsma said, %u201Cbut I just so happened to have been married to a lazy bum..." You accused her of %u2018putting out%u2019 before she got married. Maybe you need to learn how to read.

I don%u2019t think there really can be a true estimate of what a mother is worth. I know mine was irreplaceable. So what if some number crunchers came up with a figure of what they think a stay at home mom would receive if she got paid. What%u2019s the big deal?

Maybe it just chaps your a$$ that the guesstimate is more than you make?

Women are special because of who they are AND because they can bring into this world a new life%u2026 but not without the help of sperm. Some men are real fathers, some are just sperm donors. AND women do NOT just %u2018c r a p out a kid%u2019 as you put it. If you are a married man, and have kids, I sure hope that isn%u2019t how you look at the birth of your own children. You said, %u2018children are the reward%u2019, but it doesn%u2019t sound like that%u2019s how you look at them.

I feel sorry for your cat. Maybe you should take her and the kittens to the pound. They%u2019d probably be better off.

I%u2019m an old man. Too old to stand by and read what you, some smart a$$, wet behind the ears, little punk, spews about women and not say anything. Thank God for your mother, or be sorry your daddy didn%u2019t just shoot you out on the floor.
Reply to this comment
by earthmover_9 May 4, 2007 3:57 AM EDT
darkmeat4, ericsma said, %u201Cbut I just so happened to have been married to a lazy bum..." You accused her of %u2018putting out%u2019 before she got married. Maybe you need to learn how to read.

I don%u2019t think there really can be a true estimate of what a mother is worth. I know mine was irreplaceable. So what if some number crunchers came up with a figure of what they think a stay at home mom would receive if she got paid. What%u2019s the big deal?

Maybe it just chaps your a$$ that the guesstimate is more than you make?

Women are special because of who they are AND because they can bring into this world a new life%u2026 but not without the help of sperm. Some men are real fathers, some are just sperm donors. AND women do NOT just %u2018c r a p out a kid%u2019 as you put it. If you are a married man, and have kids, I sure hope that isn%u2019t how you look at the birth of your own children. You said, %u2018children are the reward%u2019, but it doesn%u2019t sound like that%u2019s how you look at them.

I feel sorry for your cat. Maybe you should take her and the kittens to the pound. They%u2019d probably be better off.

I%u2019m an old man. Too old to stand by and read what you, some smart a$$, wet behind the ears, little punk, spews about women and not say anything. Thank God for your mother, or be sorry your daddy didn%u2019t just shoot you out on the floor.
Reply to this comment
by slipster01 May 4, 2007 12:44 AM EDT
I wonder how much welfare pays? I still see an awful lot of 'down-and-out out-of-work' families with 2 cars.

I work, and I have to ride a scooter because I can't afford a new car. Not to knocj the scooter, though, it's a sweet little ride, 70 MPH and 70 MPG.
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by slipster01 May 4, 2007 12:40 AM EDT
So, when can I expect the Democrats at salary.com to start paying my wife's salary? If they insist she's worth over $130,000 a year, then they need to pay her.

Studies like this are a worthless waste of time.

Why not calculate how much a child's salary should be?

Or a homeless person? Lord knows, you couldn't pay me enough to risk my life living on the streets in the middle of winter, so their salary worth must be huge!
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by b4its2late May 4, 2007 12:38 AM EDT
Thank you. I had a very bad day at work today but this mad me laugh. $138, ooo a year???? What moron came up with this? More than most executives, salespeople, highly skilled trades, job that require 4 years of college BEFORE you can start training for a job...what a joke. Besides there are 12 million illegals that will clean, cook, babysit, grocery shop, run errands and watch the soaps like housewives for $7.oo an hr...what a joke
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by gaye5 May 3, 2007 10:57 PM EDT
I wonder if this includes the number of times a stay at home mum goes into the schools to help out with lunches or helping with the reading etc of the children whose mum are working...

Someone worked out that it costs a working mum who has children in care too much to go to work, and she actually gets not much more than staying home, but because the expenses are invisible they dont realise..
She has to buy more and better clothes, makeup, hair, shoes, stockings etc to represent herself well, then here in Australia she has to pay the tax of a single person and her husband doesnt get tax exceptions, she has to pay petrol, wear and tear on her car, and other car or travel expenses. Then most mothers no longer do their own cooking nor do they sew, or knit everything is brought to make it easier for the working mother.. take all this and much more into consideration, and what is the mother really making...???
And worst of all, we haven't considered the emotional trauma of a child in day care, where he cant stop the bullying and neither can the carers.. no on is there to tell him that he is loved and to cuddle him when he is hurt, and he is toooo young to tell Mummy that he is scared, is it really worth all this...
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by hypnotoad72 May 3, 2007 7:50 PM EDT
As the average American wage is $30k/yr, with the cost of living being around $18k - and that's discounting the cost of education, and with people thinking our economy is doing well (meanwhile jobs are said to be lost because it's a drag on the economy?)...

$138k is too much. Especially when some people will abuse the system for their own gain.
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by bluehart-2009 May 3, 2007 7:28 PM EDT
"The time has come for the IRS to impute this income to the husband. And make him pay income taxes on it.
Fair is fair all you married heterosexuals. with your special. low tax rate.
Posted by vancouverboo at 03:11 PM : May 03, 2007"

Impute imaginary income and pay income taxes on something you don't have? You've got to be kidding. How do you suppose paying taxes on something you don't have as being fair?

As far as income goes, we live on what would be considered low income and we get by. We are not materialistic and do not have to have every new gadget and toy to keep us happy. Yes, I could go and work a job and make more money and pay more taxes, but I CHOOSE to be at home.

As far as the tax break for married couple goes, quit bitc*ing and get MARRIED to someone of the opposite *** and you'll get the tax break that you so apparently covet. Or shut up and live the lifestyle that you CHOOSE to live and pay taxes.
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by dogsoul May 3, 2007 6:40 PM EDT
"This smacks of the whining, morally bankrupt rantings of non-working women who seem to need to attach a dollar figure to their lives in order to find their own value. What a shame."

Amen - $138k? Puh-lease... talk about a pandering article... So any man or childless woman who makes 70k a year (a pretty decent & difficult to attain salary compared to most) is worth about half the theoretical pay of a stay-at-home mom. It's not enough that we acknowledge how difficult & important the job of motherhood is - we have to say it's double (and sometimes triple) what men & childless women do... why not just say it's worth a million dollars a year so they can feel all warm & fuzzy inside.

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