"Adulting," as it has become known, refers to millennials' ability to complete daily tasks, such as cooking, cleaning and paying their bills on time. It can measure how good they are at being able "to do the things that adults regularly have to do," as Merriam-Webster puts it.
In addition to quotidian tasks like loading the dishwasher and doing laundry, a broader definition of "adulting" includes moving towards larger financial goals, such as buying a home and doing your own taxes.
Overall, millennial women are outshining their male counterparts, according to a new survey from Earnest, Amino and Ipsos that examines how many young people have reached certain financial milestones or adopted specific habits.
The survey found that 79 percent of millennial women have moved out of their parents' houses, while only 56 percent of men have, for example.
More women have steady jobs (65 percent versus 53 percent); have their own insurance (74 percent versus 53 percent); and have bought or leased their own car (72 percent versus 51 percent).
"This may be one outcome of a broader trend over the last decade where women are more likely to have a college degree than men," Earnest reports, citing data from the U.S. Census.
You can see the full results below:
In some areas, men and women are basically neck and neck, including buying a house (33 percent of women and 31 percent of men), paying off student loans in full (38 percent of women and 35 percent of men) and earning more than their parents (31 percent of both women and men).
It's surprising to see women come out so far ahead in so many areas considering that men, on average, earn more. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the second quarter of 2017, men aged 25-to-35 earn a median of $43,056 per year while women in the same age bracket earn only $37,804.
While it might be a while before women reach pay parity, anyone can get better at "adulting." The simplest and most fundamental way is to start saving.
Experts recommend putting away 25 percent of your gross pay every month, including contributions to any retirement accounts, debt repayment and cash savings. While that goal can be a reach in your 20s, it's important to get in the habit of saving something each month, even if you can only manage 1 percent.
"If you don't feel like it's feasible this year, it really comes down to feeling okay being vulnerable, not getting all the way there and having a plan," Kimmie Greene, money expert at Intuit and spokeswoman for Mint.com, tells CNBC Make It.
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