Comparing Women Leading Their Own Businesses to Being Employees In The USA

Abstract

This dissertation delves into the factors that could influence women's decisions in the United States to either lead their entrepreneurship or work as employees, using data from IPUMS, the World Bank, OECD, and national statistics. It looks into the economic, social, and personal outcomes of each route, with a high focus on income, job satisfaction, work-life balance, and career progression. The dissertation found that while female entrepreneurs experience greater autonomy, they often deal with significant barriers such as access to capital, whereas employed women benefit from stable income but face challenges with work-life balance and wage inequality. These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion about gender equality in the labor market and provide recommendations for supporting women's career decisions .