Financial literacy is knowing how to make sense of your money and feel steady doing it. It’s understanding what’s coming in and going out and how today’s choices affect tomorrow. When that knowledge clicks, confidence follows. And navigating life’s financial challenges gets much easier.
For many women, that confidence is not always easy to come by. Financial literacy among women still trails, shaped by gaps that have built up over time. Closing that gap makes room for clearer decisions and a brighter future.
The best part is that the effects don’t stop with 1 person. When women feel more confident with money, it tends to carry outward. Families feel it. Communities feel it. The impact adds up.
Learn more about financial literacy among women and why the gender gap exists.
Key Points
- Financial literacy gives women more control over their money. And that can mean more independence and longer-term stability.
- Women’s need for financial literacy changes at various life stages. That’s why ongoing education is so important.
- Educators play a role in closing gender differences in financial literacy. Sometimes that happens in a classroom. Sometimes it happens in smaller, everyday moments.
- Connecting women to the right resources helps financial literacy stick. The benefits often reach beyond the individual to families and communities.
Why Women’s Financial Literacy Matters
Financial literacy is about feeling capable with your money. It covers the everyday side of money, like budgeting, investing, saving, credit, and financial planning.
These skills benefit everyone. But for women, financial literacy is especially important. It affects:
- Career and lifetime earning potential: Stepping away from paid work to raise a family can break up a career path and mean earning less over a lifetime. Without a solid plan, it can be harder to reach big goals like retirement.
- Retirement and longevity: Women tend to live longer than men (81.1 vs. 75.8 years). A longer life is a gift, but it also means needing a bigger retirement fund to stay comfortable.
- Investments: Investing is a great way to build wealth over time. Women who understand how it works feel much more confident putting their money to work.
- Generational knowledge gaps: Financial literacy often starts at home. And since a large majority of stay-at-home parents (82%) are women, they are often the ones teaching kids about money first. When women have these skills, they can help make sure the next generation starts off on the right foot.
- Pay disparities: Women still often earn less than men for the same roles. Financial literacy gives women the tools and confidence to negotiate for the pay they deserve.
The benefits of financial literacy for women might start small, but they grow over time. For women and their families, it means feeling more secure and making choices with confidence.
Entire communities benefit, too. Research shows that when people understand their finances, they are more likely to invest back into their own neighborhoods. That might mean supporting local schools or helping fix up the community. And that can lead to a more stable economy for everyone.
The State of Financial Literacy Among Women
Women and financial literacy can (and should) go hand in hand. But there is still a noticeable gap between men and women in the US:
- The 2025 Personal Finance (P-Fin) Index finds that 45% of women in the US are considered financially literate. That’s compared to 53% of men. And only 11% of women (and 22% of men) show very high financial literacy.
- Women 16 and older earn about 28% less than the median annual income of men, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Older women (ages 55–64) also typically have lower retirement account balances than men.
- Research from the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center finds that women tend to see better returns on their investments than men do. Still, they’re less likely to invest in the stock market. For 38% of women, it’s because of a lack of financial confidence.
- More than half of US adults are interested in improving their financial literacy, according to the 2024 Intuit Financial Literacy Survey. However, 55% of women (and 49% of men) don’t know where to start. For women, that makes goals like saving for retirement or paying down debt tricky.
These numbers tell only part of the story, but the pattern is clear. The gender gap in financial literacy is real. Women need access to financial knowledge, just like men do. They also need the confidence to act on it.
Dive deeper: Want to see more of the numbers behind these trends? Check out Intuit’s financial literacy survey of US high school students or explore how different states rank for financial literacy.
Understanding the Financial Literacy Gender Gap
The financial literacy gender gap isn’t about who is “better” with money. It comes down to opportunity and old habits that still change how we learn about finances today:
- Access to resources: For a long time, women simply didn’t have the same access to money as men. For example, it wasn’t until 1974 that women could open a bank account or get a credit card on their own.
- Limited education: While more women than ever are highly educated, that wasn’t always the case. For generations, women were less likely to have a seat in classrooms or hold jobs that paid a steady wage. And while women have made great gains lately, they are still underrepresented in STEM and economics. These are the types of fields that tend to lead to higher-paying careers and more financial growth.
- Access to equal workplace opportunities: Getting a fair shot at a career is also a relatively new development. As late as the 20th century, 20% of women were “gainfully” employed. In 1970, that number rose to 50% for single women and 40% for married women.
- Pay gaps: On average, women still earn less than men. While the pay gap improved a bit, the gap has actually gotten a bit wider recently. At the rate we’re moving now, research suggests women won’t see equal pay until 2071. For many women of color, that timeline is even longer.
- New lead in the household: Things are changing fast when it comes to who’s calling the shots with money. A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) report finds that women are now the primary financial decision-makers in most households. In fact, nearly 60% of women say they are the ones making the big calls about investments.
- Outdated gender norms: Old-fashioned stereotypes still do a lot of hidden damage today. Research shows that the gap in money knowledge isn’t necessarily about a lack of math skills. Instead, it’s often about the social environment kids grow up in. In many places, girls are subtly encouraged to doubt their abilities in subjects like math and finance, even when they are performing well.
While we’ve come a long way, these old patterns don’t just disappear on their own. Closing the gap in female financial literacy is about making sure women have the same seat at the table and the same access to the tools as men.
Financial Literacy for Women at Different Life Stages
Women’s financial literacy needs change over time. The financial goals of a student starting their first job are a world away from someone planning for a long retirement. Since no 2 stages are the same, the best way to move forward is to get the specific tools that fit where you are right now.
College and Early Adulthood
Financial literacy is important at all stages of life. Ideally, we’d all learn the ropes from our parents or in school, but that doesn’t happen for everyone. For many young women, college is the first time they have to take charge of their own money.
At this stage, the focus is on core financial literacy concepts. That includes budgeting, saving, credit-building, and early investing.
Debt management skills are also vital. According to the Education Data Initiative, student borrowers owe an average of $39,547 in loans. Without financial planning, that debt can follow well into adulthood. In fact, many borrowers take roughly 20 years to pay off their loans.
The right resources can help develop these skills. Intuit for Higher Education, for example, offers practical financial learning for students. And educators can use these resources to bring financial concepts to life. Many colleges also offer workshops or tutoring to support financial literacy.
Working Women and Caregivers
Balancing a career and a family is the reality for many women. In 2024, both parents were employed in 66.5% of households with children. That same year, 74% of mothers with children under 18 were either working or actively looking for work.
Whether you are building a career or staying home with kids (or a mix of both), your financial health is the foundation for your family’s stability. At this stage, it’s often less about just saving and more about managing a bigger picture. That means:
- Income management
- Workplace benefits (like healthcare and retirement benefits)
- Saving and investing
- Long-term planning
If you have kids, it might also be time to start thinking about their financial futures. That could mean starting a college fund or simply naming beneficiaries on your life insurance policy.
Even if you don’t have kids, financial literacy is still valuable. Just know that your priorities may shift over time as your needs or goals change. That’s OK. Being flexible and prepared for those changes can help keep your finances heading in the direction of your dreams.
How Financial Literacy Supports Women’s Empowerment
Financial literacy gives women control over their financial path. You don’t have to know everything right off the bat, though. Because your life and your goals are unique, your financial journey will be, too.
What matters is understanding the resources available to you and how they can help you achieve your goals. The more you know, the more confident you’ll be making major (and minor) financial decisions. That might be:
- Planning for retirement (and choosing the best retirement accounts for you)
- Managing basic living expenses and debt
- Preparing for emergencies
- Establishing credit
- Comparing and choosing financial products (like credit cards, bank accounts, insurance policies, or loans)
- Saving up for major life events (like buying a house or having children)
- Building long-term security through investing and financial planning
Ultimately, financial literacy is the difference between feeling stuck and feeling like you have total autonomy. It’s the freedom to grow your wealth and overcome the barriers in your way.
Resources That Support Women’s Financial Literacy
There’s no “right” way to learn about money. It’s all about what fits your schedule and your goals. If you’re looking for a flexible way to start, online personal finance classes are a great first step. Common options include:
- Personal Finance 101 (Udemy): This free online course covers topics like filing taxes, managing credit cards, and opening a bank account. It takes about 3 hours to complete.
- Intuit for Education: Intuit’s free financial literacy platform has tracks for students and adult learners. That includes high schoolers, parents, and educators. It’s designed to help build financial skills and confidence.
- Money Smart for Young People (FDIC): This 4-in-1 course for educators to make teaching personal finance engaging for K-12 students.
- Coursera: This platform is a great pick for mid-career adults and other young professionals. It offers courses at every level, from beginner basics to advanced career skills. Some are free to audit, while others require a paid certificate.
The best financial literacy courses fit your life and your schedule. Some are free, while others cost money.
If a formal course feels like too much, these organizations offer women’s financial literacy resources that range from articles and tools to podcasts and community support:
Closing the Financial Literacy Gap
Knowledge is among the most powerful tools we have to close the financial literacy gender gap. When you build money skills, you gain the confidence to make choices that will change your future.
It takes time to get there, but you don’t have to go it alone. Here at Intuit, we’re committed to equipping you with the skills and confidence you need to excel personally and professionally. We offer free finance resources for high schoolers, college students, and independent learners. They make learning (and teaching) personal finance practical and engaging.
Join 89% of learners who improve their financial knowledge with Intuit for Education today.
FAQs
Why is there a gender gap when it comes to financial literacy?
A lot of it is historical. It’s easy to forget that it wasn’t until the mid-to-late 1900s that women could even open a bank account or buy a home without a male co-signer. For a long time, women were legally and socially kept away from the “money table.”
Are younger generations of women investing more in financial literacy?
Yes and no. The interest is definitely there. An Intuit survey finds that 85% of US high schoolers said they’re interested in learning about finance in school. However, the 2025 Personal Finance (P-Fin) Index shows the extent of generational gaps in financial literacy. For example, Gen Z correctly answered only 38% of financial questions. By comparison, baby boomers answered 55% of questions accurately.
What are good resources for women to learn financial literacy?
Online personal finance courses are a good starting point. Also, check out nonprofit or charitable groups like the Women’s Institute for Financial Education. You don’t have to learn everything overnight. The goal is just to start closing that knowledge gap, 1 step at a time.