America’s Untold Career Exodus: University of Phoenix Career Institute® and Motherly Find 1:2 ‘Sandwich Generation’ Moms Have Had to Leave a Job to Keep Up with Caregiving

The Career Optimism Special Report™ Series: Moms in the Sandwich Generation, reveals critical insights on the career cost of dual caregiving and the imperative for increased employer support to serve the fastest-growing employee segment in the U.S.

News Highlights:

• 51% of moms in the sandwich generation, those simultaneously supporting both children and adult dependents, have left a job due to caregiving responsibilities.
• A majority (55%) of sandwich moms report living in a single-income household and 52% of their paychecks go to caregiving costs—more than double that of non-sandwich moms.
• 66% say the benefits offered by their employers aren't enough to meet the needs of their adult caregiving (66%) and childcare (68%) responsibilities.
• Nearly a third (30%) say they don’t have time to access the resources currently available to them.

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, University of Phoenix Career Institute® and Motherly released the latest installment in The Career Optimism Special Report™ Series: Moms in the Sandwich Generation, revealing that 51% of sandwich generation moms have left a job due to caregiving responsibilities.

This alarming statistic underscores the career-limiting pressure that anyone faces when caring for both children and aging loved ones—as men are also increasingly finding themselves in this role. What’s more, challenges dual-caregivers face are often intensified by a lack of financial support: strikingly, a majority (55%) of sandwich moms report living in a single-income household.

The report also notes that 61% of sandwich moms have been in their caregiving role for five years or less, while 56% of all moms surveyed anticipate entering a dual-caregiving role in the future. This points to a deeper workforce shift: the barriers faced by this group are no longer a niche issue—they are an escalating reality for what is now the fastest growing employee segment across demographics.

"The term 'sandwich generation' only begins to describe the emotional and logistical load parents in this position carry," said Ruth Veloria, Chief Strategy and Customer Officer at University of Phoenix. "This special report sheds light on the tough compromises many are forced to make and serves as a reminder that more thoughtful support systems are essential—not just to help caregivers stay connected to their careers, but to safeguard the long-term health and resilience of the workforce itself.

“As more employees take on dual caregiving roles, overlooking these challenges could result in widespread attrition, disengagement, and lost leadership potential," she said.

The report, building upon findings from the Career Institute’s Mothers Overcome More™ report on working moms, finds that dual-caregiving responsibilities create significant additional pressures—both emotionally and professionally. This affects how sandwich moms navigate their careers and personal lives compared to those not in a dual-caregiving position:

• 62% of sandwich moms say having a career feels like a luxury (vs. 49% of non-sandwich moms), and 60% would like to pursue a career, but feel it’s out of reach (vs. 46% of non-sandwich moms).
• 52% of sandwich moms' paychecks go to caregiving costs—more than double that of non-sandwich moms, and 70% have dipped into savings to support their children— 65% to support adult dependents.
• 64% of sandwich moms’ PTO and sick time is used for caregiving with 75% taking time off multiple times a year for unexpected eldercare needs.
• 35% often skip networking or career-enhancing activities, compared to 24% of non-sandwich moms.
• 57% feel trapped in their jobs due to lack of qualifications or time to upskill.
• Many cite feeling stressed (59%), frustrated (36%), or isolated (29%) at much higher rates than their non-sandwich peers.

While awareness of caregiver challenges is increasing, many workplaces are still catching up when it comes to creating environments where sandwich generation employees feel seen and supported:

• 40% of sandwich moms say they feel ostracized and 42% say they are afraid to talk about their caregiving responsibilities at work.
• 66% say the benefits offered by their employers aren't enough to meet the needs of their adult caregiving responsibilities—and 68% say the same about childcare.
• Nearly a third (30%) say they don’t even have time to access the resources currently available to them.

Flexible work arrangements, caregiver leave, educational support, and tools like AI-enabled caregiving resources are essential to improving retention and performance among this group. But the implications go far beyond mothers.

“As a mom entering the sandwich generation myself, I know how quickly the pressure can build when you’re caring for children and aging parents while trying to grow a career,” said Liz Tenety, co-founder of Motherly. “These moms aren’t just multitasking—they’re holding families and communities together. We need workplace systems that reflect the reality of modern caregiving, not just for mothers, but for the future of our workforce.”

Housed within the University’s College of Doctoral Studies, University of Phoenix Career Institute® conducts research to inform problem-solving and partners with leading organizations like Motherly to break down the barriers Americans face in their careers.

For more about Motherly, visit https://www.mother.ly/.

To learn more about the University of Phoenix Career Institute® and to read the full report, visit https://www.phoenix.edu/career-institute.html.

ABOUT THE CAREER OPTIMISM SPECIAL REPORT™ SERIES: MOMS IN THE SANDWICH GENERATION

The Career Optimism Special Report™ Series: Moms in the Sandwich Generation compromised of a 25-minute online survey conducted among 2,000 moms, including n=1,000 moms with children in their households and n=1,000 moms with both children and adult dependents in their care. All respondents were U.S. adults (age 18 and up) who were employed or seeking employment at the time of the research. Fieldwork was conducted between January 28 and February 8, 2025.

This survey was designed to explore the unique pressures placed on “sandwich moms” or Adult Dependent Moms and Non-Adult Dependent moms. Respondents were categorized based on their household composition, employment status, caregiving responsibilities, and demographic background to ensure accurate representation of both single-role and dual-role caregivers.

ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX CAREER INSTITUTE®

Housed within the university's College of Doctoral Studies, the Career Institute conducts impactful research and collaborates with leading organizations to explore broad and persistent barriers to career growth. Through annual studies like the Career Optimism Index® and targeted reports, the Institute shares actionable insights to inform solutions. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu/career-institute.

ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor's and master's degree programs, and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

ABOUT MOTHERLY

Motherly is the leading parenting brand empowering women to thrive along their motherhood journey. As a woman-centered, evidence-based, and non-judgmental platform, Motherly supports its 40M+ monthly engaged audience from conception to college with expert information, an inspiring community, online educational classes, and commerce. For more information, visit www.mother.ly and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter.