How much influence do women have in American life? Single women in particular are growing in numbers. Here are some statistics on the growing power of women in the USA.

There are roughly 50-million single women (over the age of 18) … compared to 42 million single men … and 105 million total women (97 million men) according to a 2007 U.S. Census report … USA has a total population of 304 million, including children.

Women outnumber men in college by about 57% to 43%.
Women earn 57% of college bachelors degrees and 59% of college masters degrees, according to the Survey of Earned Doctorates.
Women outvoted men in the 2004 Presidential election 54% to 46%.

The number of working women in the USA in 2006 reached 66.9 million (up from 18.4 million in 1950).

Women accounted for 46.3% of the American workforce in 2006 (compare to 18% in 1900).

According to the National Center for Education Statistics:
49% of medical school students in 2005-2006 were women (compared to 5.8% in 1960-1961).
44% of students in law schools were women in 2006-2007 (compared to 3.7% in 1963).

Female Ph.D’s have grown from about 8,000 in 1996 to over 20,000 in 2002.
Women employed in professional and related occupations accounted for 24.8% of all working women.

SINGLE WOMEN:

For the first time ever, households headed by unmarried (men or women) Americans (50.3%) outnumber the households lead by married couples (49.7%), according to a 2005 Census Bureau American Community Survey. In 1950, 78% of American households were led by married-couples.

10.4 million single mothers were raising children in 2006 (US Census).

In 2005, single women were the second-largest group of home-buyers (second to married couples).

In late-life divorces (ages of 40’s, 50’s and 60’s), 66% of the divorces are initiated by the women, according to a 2004 AARP survey.

81% of single women aren’t overly concerned about the prospect of growing old alone, according to an AARP survey in 2006.