Market value for a mom? $116,805
That's according to a pre-Mother's Day study released Thursday by Salary.com, a firm based in Waltham, Mass., that studies workplace compensation.
The eighth annual survey calculated a mom's market value by studying pay levels for 10 job titles with duties that a typical mom performs, ranging from housekeeper and day-care-center teacher to van driver, psychologist and chief executive officer.
This year, the annual salary for a stay-at-home mom would be $116,805, while a working mom who also juggles an outside job would get $68,405 for her motherly duties.
One stay-at-home mom said the six-figure salary sounds a little low.
"I think a lot of people think we sit at home and have a lot of fun and don't do a lot of work," said Samantha Russell, a Fremont, N.H., mother who left her job as pastry chef to raise two boys, ages 2 and 4. "But they should try cleaning their house with little kids running around and messing it up right after them."
Working moms reported an average 54.6-hour "mom work week" besides the hours they spent at paying jobs.
Russell agreed her job as a stay-at-home mom is more than full time. But she said her "job" brings intangible benefits she wouldn't enjoy in the workplace.
"The rewards aren't monetary, but it's a reward knowing that they're safe and happy," Russell said of her sons. "It's worth it all."
Recent comments
Re: K
Nah, I just locked the little buggers in the closet...
K | May 12, 2008 at 9:39 a.m.
You probably pick up your kid(s) from daycare at 6 PM or so. Your...
Re: K | May 9, 2008 at 6:57 p.m.
OK, but why is a 'working outside the home mom' worth about...
K | May 9, 2008 at 11:25 a.m.
