The labor market and marital status experiences of women in their forties were examined using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women, which tracked the experiences of women from ages 40 to 49 during the 1967-86 time period. Findings included the following: (1) over 85% worked at some time during their forties; (2) they averaged 289 weeks, although 1 in 4 worked 480 weeks or more; (3) high school dropouts worked substantially fewer weeks and were less likely to be in the labor force both at 40 and at 49; (4) high school dropouts were less likely to be married both at 40 and at 49 than other women; (5) nonwhite women were more likely to be in the labor force at both ages than white women were; (6) compared to white women, nonwhites were more likely to be single at both ages and to have changed marital status over the decade; and (7) 46% of college-educated women were in the labor force at both ages. (KC)