This Is How Much a Stay-at-Home Mom Should Make Each Year

A mother’s work is never done, but if a stay-at-home mom was paid for her job, how much would she make? As a former stay-at-home mom, I say her salary should be an impressive one. However, it looks like researchers have actually put a price tag on all those hours mom puts in every single day.

According to a survey from Salary.com, stay-at-home moms should earn upwards of $162,581 per year. All those early mornings and late nights mean mom could be pulling in a pretty nice salary — you know, if she was actually getting paid. According to the website, this number is up from previous years and is based on a 96-hour work week. In 2016, the site said stay-at-home moms should earn $143,102 and in 2017 stated $157,705 would be their salary.

To come up with this number, researchers selected “a handful of jobs that reflect a day in the life of a mom” and used those salary totals to come up with their estimated salary for moms.

So what were some of the hybrid jobs used to cover everything mom does in a day? From dietician to event planner to judge, coach, nurse, and teacher, mom does just about everything. So her “salary” should reflect her multifaceted job. Also taken into consideration, if mom stays home with the kids, the family won’t have to pay for childcare. Her partner can go into work early, stay late, and work weekends because mom is holding down the fort. Also, stay-at-home moms are not working a typical 9-5 job. Since she is "at work" all day, every day, her salary should reflect her long work week.

What about weekends and sick days? Ask a mom and she will tell you — after she laughs out loud – those don’t exist in this role.