Women in Technology Statistics

Over the past few decades, women have made a major impact in the workforce. Currently, 57% of professional occupations in the US are held by women; however, women make up meager 25% of the tech workforce. That’s only one in four people! On top of that, the percentage of women in the tech industry has actually been getting smaller over the years! When the entire workforce is benefiting from a higher percentage of women in the workplace, the tech industry still doesn’t follow this model. Why? That’s what we at Career Karma plan to find out! 

The Decline

A “Girls Who Code” study found that of all computer science college graduates in 1984, 37% were women. While that number isn’t very high to begin with, it gets worse over time! In 2018, only 18% of computer science graduates were female. This decline in tech education for women has definitely contributed to the lack of women in technology jobs. Fortunately, in the past few years there has been a push for women’s inclusion in technology education. Major programs include Techwomen (an initiative by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs), GirlsWhoCode, and WomenWhoCode to name a few. 

Shocking Statistics

Notice that some of the jobs in the “Female” category are actually less tech based and more administration-type positions. A major trend for the small percentage of women in tech is that, while female workers may work for a “tech” company, many end up in traditionally “non-tech” roles like marketing and administration. 

Minorities in Tech

Remember when I mentioned that only 25% of people in tech were women? Well, the numbers drop tremendously for women of color! While 16% of people in tech are white women, only 5% are Asian women, 3% are Black/African American women, and 1% are Latina/Hispanic. These numbers are shocking and unfortunately on pace with the rest of the working industry. It’s important to also remember that women in the workplace are historically paid less than men, with white females earning only 85% of a white male coworker’s salary. Yet again, the statistics are shockingly worse for women of color, with Asian women earning 77%, black/African American women earning 61%, Native American women earning 58%, and Latina/Hispanic women earning 53% of a white male coworker’s salary. 

Changing the Future

At this point, you’re probably wondering “what can I do to help?” Thankfully, many resources are being added to help combat the inequality of women in the tech industry. Resources include scholarship programs, specific educational programs, and increased awareness! One of the biggest things you can do is to encourage and support women of all ages to follow their dreams and achieve their goals!