When it comes to money, women are feeling the pressure. Financial stress among women is widespread, deepening and rooted in systemic barriers that go beyond individual choices. Women are more likely to earn less, while at the same time shouldering greater caregiving burdens. It’s no wonder confidence is low.
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According to a recent study by Credit One Bank, 48% of women report feeling financial stress, compared to 38% of men. When confidence levels are discussed, it goes the other way, with only 39% of women feeling in control of their finances, compared to 50% of men.
There’s an obvious gap, and the numbers reflect entrenched financial disadvantages.
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Debt Starts Early
Student loans hit women harder and follow them longer. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), women hold nearly two-thirds of the country’s student debt, they graduate owing more than men and, due to the persistent gender pay gap, take roughly two years longer to pay it off.
The issue compounds over time — higher debt loads combined with lower lifetime earnings means interest accumulates and financial stress grows.
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The Pay Gap Persists
It’s 2025 and women aged 25 to 54 still earn $211 less per week than men, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That means women in their prime working years are bringing in just 83.9 cents for every dollar earned by men.
Lower weekly earnings translate into reduced capacity to save, invest and build long-term wealth. It affects creditworthiness, limits access to capital and puts women at a disadvantage when it comes to homeownership and entrepreneurship.
Over time, the gap compounds, especially in retirement, where smaller lifetime earnings often result in lower Social Security benefits and fewer assets to draw from.
Confidence Tied to Literacy
Women only answered 43% of the questions correctly in the in the 2024 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index, compared to 53% of men, showing lower levels of both financial literacy and retirement fluency.
Financial literacy affects every decision, from budgeting and saving to borrowing and investing. Lower literacy levels can lead to lower confidence and less participation in financial planning, and leaves some women more vulnerable to poor advice.
Bridging the Gap
Building confidence starts with empowering women to take charge of their financial lives. Financial education needs to be more real and relatable, and employers and institutions must do more to close the pay gap and increase benefits transparency.
Financial stress doesn’t go away overnight, but change starts by naming the problem, addressing the root causes and pushing back against outdated norms.
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Sources
Credit One Bank, “Trends and Factors Affecting Generational Financial Trauma.”
AAUW, “Women & Student Debt.”
U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers News Release.”
GFLEC, “The 2024 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index.”
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 3 Reasons Women Are Less Confident About Money — And Why That Matters
