Why men are falling behind in the job market

As industries like manufacturing and transportation cool, America’s job market is increasingly favoring sectors where women have long dominated, creating a growing challenge for male workers, The Wall Street Journal writes.

Nearly all net job growth over the past year has come from health care and social assistance, while male-heavy fields have shed jobs. Meanwhile, women in their prime working years are entering the workforce at higher rates, aided in part by hybrid work flexibility.

The trend also reflects a widening education gap: Women now outpace men in earning bachelor’s degrees, giving them an edge in a labor market that increasingly rewards credentials and adaptability.

Economists say the question is whether this is a temporary soft patch tied to tariffs and industrial weakness or a deeper structural shift. For men, especially those in legacy industries, the path forward may require difficult career pivots into sectors they’ve historically been less likely to enter.

The Wall Street Journal has the full story.