Survey finds female teachers face greater challenges with work-life balance

A new analysis based on the 2025 State of the American Teacher survey examines how teachers perceive their work-life balance and the factors that may influence it. The study also compares teachers’ experiences to those of other working adults and focuses on female teachers, who make up about 75 percent of the teaching workforce.

The findings indicate that poor work-life balance, especially due to limited job flexibility and greater job intrusion, is strongly linked with reduced well-being. Teachers were more likely than other similar workers to report difficulties related to job flexibility and job intrusion. The study also suggests that workplace conditions—such as the number of hours worked each week or the availability of employer-provided benefits—can shape teachers’ views of their work-life balance. For female teachers, spending more time on household chores and child care compared to male colleagues seems to be a factor in lower well-being.

Less than half of the teachers surveyed said their school or district was taking steps to help them balance work and personal life. Those who did see efforts being made pointed to the ability to take time off easily, flexible scheduling, and access to classroom coverage as key supports that could improve their sense of work-life balance.