Is a Single Mom in College a Common Phenomenon? Facts & Statistics

Balancing parenting as a single mother with getting a degree is very challenging. Between taking care of their child, doing homework, and, for many, working to be able to support their families, single mothers have to work three times harder than non-parenting students. On average, student mothers spend as much as 9 hours a day on childcare and chores.

No wonder so few single moms manage to complete their degrees: only 28% of single mothers in higher education graduate with a degree or certificate. Colleges must do their best to support student mothers and increase this number. Let’s explore how it can be done.

Student Single Mother Statistics

Considering how hard it is to study for a degree while parenting as a single mother, it’s amazing how many women choose to take this route – all for the sake of being able to afford their children the best lives they can.

So, how many single mothers in the US are students?

The number of single mothers in college more than doubled in the 21st century. In 2012, 11% of undergraduate students were single mothers. Although the rate at which the student single-mother population is growing has slowed down since then, it’s still estimated to be between 7% in four-year institutions and 21% in community colleges.
Women of color make up the majority of single mothers enrolled in colleges. Black women are the most represented racial group among single mothers: about 37% of all Black female students are single mothers. For American Indian/Alaska Native women, this number is 27%, and for Hispanic women, it’s 19%.
Single mothers in the US mostly attend community colleges. Out of all single student mothers, 44% are enrolled in two-year programs in community colleges rather than four-year programs. This makes perfect sense – not only are community colleges a lower time commitment, but they are also significantly more affordable.

College Graduation Statistics for Single Mothers

Sadly, despite single mothers actively enrolling in colleges, a small share of them actually graduate. Roughly one-third of single mothers have a degree (Bachelor’s or higher); for comparison, over one-half (54%) of married mothers have one.

As disheartening as the graduation statistics among single mothers are, it’s unsurprising. Being a full-time caretaker for a child while also attending classes and completing assignments is incredibly hard. Besides, college is a major financial investment, which makes it even less attainable for single mothers.

Although financial aid programs for single mothers exist, they are clearly insufficient. On average, single mothers graduate with a student debt of about $30,000, which is about 16% higher than the average number for non-parenting female students. Expanding the financial aid for single student mothers would definitely improve their graduation rates.

Demographic group	Single mothers	Married mothers	All women
Women aged 25+ who hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher (as of 2015)	31%	54%	40% (all women)
Women who obtained a college degree or certificate within 6 years after enrollment (among students enrolled in 2003-2009)	28%	40%	57% (women without children)
Average student debt immediately after graduation	~$30,000	~$30,000	~$25,000 (women without children) and ~$26,000 (all women)

How Does a Student Mum Spend Her Time?

Compared to students without children, single mothers have significantly less time for studying because parenting takes up the majority of their time. On average, a single mother spends 9-10 hours a day on childcare and housework, including:

~2 hours spent on active care
~6 on supervisory care (keeping an eye on the child while also doing something else)
up to 2 hours on housework.

Activity	Single mother (daily)	Average student (weekly)
Housework and childcare	~9 hours, including active and supervisory care, as well as chores	~5 hours, including housework, cooking, and other chores (e.g., laundry)

So, an average student without children spends fewer hours on housework a week than a single mother does on childcare and chores a day. With so little time in a day left for studying (especially for working single moms), it’s no surprise that the graduation rates are low among single mothers.

Single Student Mothers’ Finances

A lot of non-parenting students are able to work while studying, which helps them pay for college and graduate with lower student debt. This is virtually impossible for most single student moms because they have to support themselves and their children. More than 80% of single mothers in college programs can’t pay for their education while still in college, which is one of the main reasons why their student debt upon graduation is typically higher.

Also, the majority of single student mothers struggle financially even before enrolling: more than 60% of them are at or below the federal poverty level. Many of them enroll in colleges in hopes of improving their and their children’s financial situation, but, for many of them, student debt creates an additional financial strain.

Scholarships for Single Mothers

Although this isn’t always an option, oftentimes, scholarships can lessen the financial burden of higher education for single moms. There are a few scholarships for single mothers in college, including the Beatrice F. Kroesche Memorial Scholarship, the Elevate-A-Life Scholarship, and the Geneva Fund Scholarship.

Beatrice F Kroesche Memorial Scholarship

The Beatrice F. Kroesche Memorial Scholarship is only available to students who are enrolled in the College of Education or the Department of English at the University of Utah. All single parents are eligible for it, as long as they have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and meet the minimum required number of study hours.

Elevate-A-Life Scholarship

The Elevate-A-Life Scholarship is available to students who pursue a degree and are interested in a career in human relations. It covers not just the tuition costs but also childcare expenses. Moreover, it comes with mentorship and a paid internship that can help single parents kickstart their careers after graduation.

Geneva Fund Scholarship

The Geneva Fund Scholarship was created to support women who became mothers as adolescents to help them obtain a four-year degree. It comes in the form of $5,000 awarded annually, and students are eligible regardless of the field of study they choose. To apply for the scholarship, a personal essay and proof of enrollment are required.

A Few More Facts About Single Moms in the US Colleges

Approximately 10-11% of all students in the US are single mothers. Most of them are enrolled in two-year programs in community colleges (44%) or for-profit institutions (30%).
Black women are the most represented racial group among single mothers in college.
The vast majority of single student mothers live at or below the poverty line and can’t afford to contribute to education costs while still studying.
Single mothers who only hold a high school diploma are almost two times more likely to live in poverty compared to those who have an associate degree.
It’s in the government’s best interest to support single student mothers: associate degree holders contribute an estimated $71,000 in taxes, and Bachelor’s degree holders contribute $220,000 over the course of their lives.

Conclusion: Single Moms in College Need Support

Approximately 2 million single mothers are currently enrolled in college in the US in the hopes of improving their financial situation and building careers to support themselves and their children. However, statistically, about two-thirds of them won’t graduate.

The lack of time for studying and the cost of higher education make completing a degree incredibly hard for women who also have to take care of their children. More opportunities for financial aid, both for the cost of education and childcare, would increase the graduation rates for single mothers.

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